Every Step You Take
by NuttyGirl
Summary: The Sequel to Forgotten. Katie needs Murdock's help again but things have changed and she finds herself more deeply involved with him than ever before
1. Default Chapter

Every breath you take  
  
Every move you make  
  
Every bond you break  
  
Every step you take  
  
I'll be watching you  
  
Taken from the song Every Breath You Take by Sting and The Police  
  
EVERY STEP YOU TAKE  
  
PROLOGUE  
  
Jerome Martinez stood standing in front of the window of his office. Outside the landscape was mountainous and further off to the left he could see the distant line of the sea. Behind him the door opened.  
  
'Sir?'  
  
Turning Jerome fixed his gaze on the man. He did not have to say anything, the man before him knew what it was Jerome wanted to know.  
  
'They have left with her sir. They should be reaching the airfield in fifteen minutes.'  
  
'Good.' Jerome turned back to the window. 'The pilot has been informed?'  
  
'Yes sir, the plan is all arranged. They'll ensure that the body is dropped in the sea; it should be week's maybe months before it's found. If it's found at all.'  
  
'Thank you; that will be all.'  
  
With a nod the man exited. Jerome allowed himself a smile. All was going well, within the hour Katherine Anderson would no longer be a problem to him. It had been easy to keep her here until he was sure that he had the information he needed. There had been no way of escape from this island for her. It had proved even easier to persuade her to leave, telling her it was for her own safety and he would join her as soon as he could. The bitch didn't even have a clue what his real business was or what her part had played in it.  
  
*** High above Pacific Ocean, HM Murdock piloted his plane with grace and ease. In the cabin behind him was the A-Team. Two of them awake, the third drugged.  
  
Murdock let his thoughts drift to the mission. His best friend's daughter Katie was in trouble and her mother had hired them to find her and get her back. Murdock had listened to Karen's suspicions and had agreed. He had felt that something was wrong as soon as he'd read her last letter. It had conveyed nothing out of the ordinary but he knew Katie and something wasn't right.  
  
Now they were going to find her and bring her home, whatever it took. He had not yet figured out how much this girl meant to him or realised just how the shape of his life would be changed by the coming days. But soon now his life was going to be changed forever. But he could not know any of this and to Murdock; it was just a mission. And she was just a girl. 


	2. Chapter One

CHAPTER ONE  
  
She was flanked on either side by Jerome's guards. They walked her from the car to the airstrip.  
  
They were halfway between the car and the plane when the fire fight started. Bullets zipped past her into the dirt and she was shoved face down by the bigger of the two men.  
  
She saw them open fire on their seemingly invisible assailants. Katherine Anderson's eyes scanned the airfield trying to spot the people who were shooting at them.  
  
There, she saw one standing on the roof of the low building at the end of the field. Suddenly, one of the guards let out a low grunt as he was sent flying.  
  
Katie rolled out of the way and got to her feet in time to see a large black man in an abundance of jewellery pound the guard's face. The other guard was unconscious.  
  
She found herself being grabbed round the waist and hauled towards the plane. Bullets pounded at their heels and Katie felt the guard being dragged off her. As he was sent flying the large black man turned to her.  
  
'Hey little mama.' He said.  
  
A grin spread across her face. 'Hey BA.' Then the grin abruptly vanished. 'What are you doing?'  
  
BA just grabbed her arm and hauled her towards the building and safety.  
  
'Wait!' Katie yelled but BA shook his head.  
  
'No time mama.'  
  
'No BA, you don't understand!' He was still pulling her towards the building, paying no attention to what she was saying. One quick glance upward and she realised who the man on the rooftop was. 'Face.' She murmured. Another glance and she'd located Hannibal hidden behind some packing boxes.  
  
Her eyes scanned the airfield looking for the fourth man who she knew had to be here somewhere.  
  
BA pulled her into the small shack that served as an office. He shut the door and Katie yanked her arm from his grip. Face landed on the floor before her, coming through the skylight in the roof. Hannibal walked in through the door.  
  
'Hey kid, good to see you. BA, go put those guys somewhere where they can't get out for a while.'  
  
'Hang on a minute.' Katie interrupted and all three turned to look at her. 'What the hell do you think you're doing?'  
  
Hannibal looked at her an expression of something very close to annoyance on his face. 'Excuse me?'  
  
'That's not a very nice thing to say to someone who's just rescued you.' Face told her.  
  
'I don't need rescuing.' Katie said looking round. 'Ok, where is he? I know he's here.'  
  
There was a crackle of static behind her. 'Colonel.' A voice said and Hannibal pulled his radio from his belt.  
  
'Go ahead Murdock.'  
  
'I've got these guys tied up here on the plane. How is she?'  
  
Katie stalked from the office anger written across her features. 'She's on her way to you.' Hannibal told him. 'I thought you said she was in trouble.'  
  
'What?' Murdock asked. 'She is.' Then there was a grunt and a sharp buzz of static, instantly the three men ran from the building.  
  
As they headed to the plane, Katie came out of it, dropping from the doorway and cradling her hand.  
  
'What happened?' BA asked worriedly.  
  
'She hit me is what happened.' Murdock said, his tall frame filling the doorway to the aircraft. He stepped down onto the tarmac rubbing his jaw.  
  
'What?' BA was confused, amazed and biting back a laugh all at once. 'This little mama hit you?' A grin spread across his face showing white teeth, stark against his dark skin.  
  
'Yeah.' Murdock's eyes blazed. 'She did.'  
  
'I did.' Katie confirmed, rubbing at her hand.  
  
'Why?' Face asked intrigued, Hannibal also looked interested.  
  
'Because he should just leave me alone instead of jumping in here, shooting up the place and hitting the wrong people.' Katie said before Murdock could get a word out. 'Those guys were protecting me not to trying to hurt me.'  
  
Murdock laughed long and hard. He reached inside the plane and produced a backpack. Opening it he took out several bags of white powder. 'And this is sugar.' There was a sarcastic edge to his voice.  
  
Katie reached out numbly and touched the packets. 'Well.maybe...'  
  
Murdock gave a snort of disgust and opened a bag. He rubbed the powder between his fingers and dabbed the tip of his tongue with his fingertips. 'Sugar that tastes very much like cocaine sweetheart.'  
  
'Give me that.' Katie demanded grabbing the bag and tasting some of it herself. Her eyes widened. 'No, no way.'  
  
Face ran a hand through his hair and started to talk. 'Jerome Martinez was formerly Jerome McDonald. Born 15 April 1951. Black hair, blue eyes. Born to a Mexican mother, Rosa and American father, Jerome Senior. When his father was imprisoned for drug smuggling Jerome changed his name to Martinez, his mother's maiden name. He served in Vietnam for 1 year at the age of 19, back in America he was put on trial for the possession of illegal substances but was never convicted. Currently engaged to one Katherine Anderson.' Face raised an eyebrow. 'Did I miss anything?'  
  
'Looks like Jerome Junior decided to carry on Daddy's old job.' Hannibal remarked.  
  
'No!' Katie exclaimed. 'You've got it wrong; Jerome is not a drug smuggler.'  
  
Murdock gave a frustrated groan.  
  
'Mama.' BA began hoping to get through to her but Murdock interrupted him.  
  
'There was one thing you missed Face.'  
  
'Oh?' Face asked surprised and not liking the look in his friend's eyes. 'I did?'  
  
'Yeah. You forgot Wife Beater or should that be Fiancée Beater?'  
  
Katie slapped him across the cheek. Murdock raised his eyes calmly and looked at her. 'I'm sorry Muchacha.'  
  
'You're wrong, you're all wrong.' She turned and walked away. Hannibal sighed and BA shook his head.  
  
'How can we help her if she don't want to be helped?'  
  
'Murdock you've got no proof that he hits her.' Hannibal said.  
  
Murdock shook his head in reply. 'He beats her.' He answered adamantly. 'I've seen guys just like this creep at the VA and I'm telling you he hits her!'  
  
'But you can't be sure Murdock.' Face said. 'We can't make her come home. We don't have proof for any of this.'  
  
'Since when did that stop us Face?' Murdock asked looking thoughtful. 'You want proof? I'll get you proof.' He walked off after Katie.  
  
'Fool's goin' about this the wrong way.' BA said, watching him walk away.  
  
Murdock approached Katie, easily catching up with her. He grabbed her arm and started yanking her back towards the plane.  
  
'Hey!' Katie cried, trying to get free of him. 'Let go of me!'  
  
Murdock ignored her, pulled her over to the plane, turned her around and tugged her shirt up. Ugly purple bruises covered her lower back. All four men were stunned into silence even Murdock who hadn't been expecting anything as bad as this.  
  
He swallowed hard and touched the bruises, Katie immediately flinched and he was instantly sorry. He let go of her shirt and turned her to face gently. One look at her face and he pulled her close.  
  
'You're coming home.' He told her leaving no room for argument. 'No buts, no ifs, you're coming with us.'  
  
She pulled away. 'I can't.'  
  
BA turned away and punched a clenched fist into the palm of his hand. 'Gonna get that sucker!'  
  
'BA.' Hannibal said in a low voice. BA carried on pacing and muttering revenge. 'Sergeant!' Hannibal said, this time with a clear note of authority in his tone. BA stopped pacing and relaxed a little.  
  
Murdock took Katie by her upper arms. 'Yes, you can.'  
  
She shook her head. 'He'll kill me.'  
  
'He can't kill you if he can't find you.' Hannibal put in lighting a cigar. Katie turned wide eyes on him.  
  
'He'll find me; I know he will. He's got contacts everywhere; LA is the first place he'll look!'  
  
'Face?' Murdock asked pleadingly, hoping his friend would come up with something.  
  
'We can find somewhere where you'll be safe.' Face told her reassuringly.  
  
BA's head came up, an idea occurring to him. 'He wouldn't look for her in Chicago.' He said. 'She could stay with my momma.'  
  
Hannibal nodded appreciatively, the idea sounded workable.  
  
'Yeah!' Murdock enthused. 'Mrs B'd love to have you.'  
  
'But my mom? What about her?'  
  
'You leave that to us.' Hannibal said. 'Jerome won't be getting anywhere near her. We're going to nail this slimeball.'  
  
'Yeah!' BA nodded and smacked his palm with his fist again. 'Gonna make him pay.'  
  
Murdock took Katie's left hand and removed her engagement ring. 'You won't be needing this anymore.'  
  
Face's eyes eagerly followed the large diamond. Murdock saw the look and smiled a little. 'Sorry Facey; not this one. We're gonna leave this right here.' He placed the ring on the floor where Jerome would be sure to see it. 'It's a little message for Jerome.'  
  
*** Murdock brought their plane round onto the runway and hopped out. 'All ready to go.' He said.  
  
Hannibal nodded and turned back to BA who glowered. 'I ain't flyin'!'  
  
'Well I hope you're a good swimmer then big guy. Better give Faceman your gold, can't swim with all that on.' Murdock said keeping BA's attention diverted towards him.  
  
BA's lip curled in anger and before he could say another word Face had injected him with Sodium Penethol. BA pitched forwards into Murdock's arms. The pilot grunted as BA's weight landed on him.  
  
'You get heavier everytime dontcha big guy.' He handed him over to Hannibal who took BA's top half while Face grabbed his legs and together they managed to get him on the plane  
  
*** Murdock walked over to the car where Kate was pulling out her bags. 'Here let me get those.' He took the bags from her and as he did so he noticed that she was still cradling her right hand.  
  
Frowning he put down the bags and took her hand, she gasped from the pain even though he'd been gentle.  
  
'Aw jeez Katie I think you might have broken it.'  
  
She managed a smile. 'Never knew your jaw was so tough.'  
  
Murdock sighed. 'Not much I can do for ya kid, not till we get you to Chicago. I'll take a look in the First Aid box on-board; see if I can't strap it up.'  
  
Katie nodded. 'Sure thing. How's your jaw?'  
  
He grinned and then winced from the effort. 'Sore, you hit too good.' He picked the bags up before she could reply to that. 'Billy'll be glad to see you, he's been pining for you, hasn't been happy since the day you left. He keeps whining and he's off his food too.'  
  
Katie glanced at him. 'For a whole year?'  
  
Murdock nodded. 'Yep, cries at night, keeps on sniffing at that chewy dog toy you gave him. He won't play with anything else not even his ball.'  
  
Katie couldn't help herself she laughed. Murdock, although pleased by the sound, kept his face straight. 'It's not funny, he really did miss you.' As he loaded the bags into the hold he whispered, 'He wasn't the only one.'  
  
Shutting the hold he turned back to her with something akin to a grin. 'Let's fly.'  
  
*** Face watched them carefully. 'You sure this is a good idea?' He asked Hannibal.  
  
'Of course.' Hannibal said. 'She'll be safe and we can get Karen to a safe house. Then we can go after Jerome ourselves without worrying about her. Murdock will be much happier too.'  
  
'Ok.' Face said strapping BA in. 'But I've got a bad feeling about this.'  
  
Murdock got in then with Katie following close behind. 'Sit there.' He told her before then he turned to the guys. 'We'll take off in a minute guys but Little Miss Martial Arts here has hurt her hand. I have to strap it up before we go.'  
  
'I can do that.' Face said with a touch too much eagerness in his voice.  
  
Murdock chuckled wisely, he'd been around Face long enough to know that look and that glint in his eye. 'Nice try Faceman.'  
  
Katie smiled at Face. 'I don't mind, Face can take a look at me if he wants.'  
  
Face beamed and started to get up. 'See she wants me to do it.' Hannibal pulled him back into his seat.  
  
'Sit Lieutenant.' There was a trace of wryness in his voice. Face reluctantly sat. Murdock came back with some bandages.  
  
'Hurry up Murdock; I don't want BA waking up mid-flight.' Hannibal looked over at the sleeping sergeant wondering how much longer they were going to enjoy the quiet.  
  
Murdock nodded and got to work. 'This is probably gonna hurt a bit Muchacha but there nothing I can do about that.' Carefully he bandaged her hand trying not to move it as much as possible. He admired his handiwork and nodded happily. 'All done.'  
  
'Can we go now?' Face asked impatiently, his voice held the threat of a whine it.  
  
Murdock raised an eyebrow. 'Well if you think you can get us there any faster, be my guest.'  
  
Face sat back. 'You got a point there.'  
  
'That's right.' Murdock said. 'Because you don't know how to fly this plane do you Face? No Murdock. But I do don't I Face? Yes Murdock.' Still talking and answering himself Murdock went into the cockpit.  
  
Katie blinked. 'Nice to see that some things just don't change.'  
  
Face smiled. 'Oh yeah, he's still crazy as ever.'  
  
The door to the cockpit opened. 'You gonna sit there all day?' Murdock demanded. 'Get yourself up here and help me fly.'  
  
Katie stood up and followed him. 'You don't need any help and besides even if you did I have an injured hand, what use am I gonna be?' She sat down in the co-pilot's chair and felt a rush of memories. She hadn't been in a plane in a long time.  
  
Murdock seated himself. 'Then watch me and learn something for a change.'  
  
Katie glanced at him. 'You know, people have the wrong idea about you. They think that you're so nice and laidback, crazy but nice. They should have you for a teacher.'  
  
Murdock smiled his crazy smile and started to taxi the plane down the runway. He leaned over and helped her strap herself in. 'Just because I want you to do well.'  
  
'You were practically mean.' She pouted.  
  
'I was not!' He protested. 'You just needed firm instruction.'  
  
'So what's with the 'watch me and learn something for a change' attitude all about then?'  
  
The plane started to pick up speed.  
  
'I thought I could start teaching you again.'  
  
'I'm not so sure that I want to fly anymore.'  
  
Murdock raised one eyebrow. 'That so?' The plane moved faster and as they took off Murdock howled, after a moment's hesitation, Katie joined in.  
  
*** Face groaned. 'Oh no, he's got her howling now too.'  
  
Hannibal chuckled. 'Wouldn't you be worried if he didn't howl on take off?'  
  
Face sighed. 'I guess I would but that's because I'm used to it.'  
  
'Face be honest, flying just isn't the same if Murdock doesn't howl on take off.'  
  
The conman nodded. 'But does Katie really have to do it too? It only encourages him further.'  
  
A smirk touched the colonel's lips. 'Thinking of taking her flying sometime were you?'  
  
Face smiled his widest grin. 'Possibly.'  
  
*** Murdock took a deep, contented breath and looked over at Katie. 'Don't tell me that you don't feel a rush every time that happens.'  
  
'You need to get out more.' She replied and then gave a non-committal shrug. 'Maybe.'  
  
'I knew it!' Murdock was triumphant. 'You still want to learn to fly.'  
  
'I didn't say that.'  
  
'You didn't have to; I can recognise the flying jazz when I see it. You want to fly it's in your eyes.'  
  
Katie's cheeks coloured. 'Ok so I do.'  
  
'Excellent, when this mess is done with I'll start teaching you again and then I'll teach your kids and they can teach their kids and the legend of HM Murdock, Captain will be kept alive forever!'  
  
Katie couldn't help but laugh at his enthusiasm. 'Oh you won't be forgotten in a hurry, don't you worry. But.uh.my kids? Jumping the gun a bit aren't you? I might not have any.'  
  
'Oh you will.' Murdock said quietly. Then he smiled again. 'And I can tell them how their mother was my best student.'  
  
Katie's eyes went wide. 'I'm your best student? Me?' Then reality hit her. 'Murdock! I'm your only student!'  
  
'And you're still the best.'  
  
'Well what about your kids? They'll be better than I could ever be.'  
  
Murdock suddenly went very quiet.he kept his eyes fixed on the blue sky outside. 'Katie.it's.it's not likely that I'm going to have kids, not now.'  
  
'Oh.' She said softly and looked out the window. Somehow it had never occurred to her that he wouldn't be a father but thinking it over he was right, how could he hope to have a family locked up in the VA. He could barely have a steady relationship let alone kids.  
  
Murdock pressed a button and then unbuckled his belt before standing up. 'Take over would you Chica.'  
  
'What?'  
  
'I gotta use the bathroom.'  
  
'But Murdock.I don't remember what to do!'  
  
'Sure ya do. I really gotta go.'  
  
'I've got an injured hand.it could be broken!'  
  
Murdock only patted her shoulder reassuringly, seemingly deaf to her protests. 'You'll be fine.' He left the cockpit and Katie sat at the controls in a terrified panic.  
  
'Oh god, what the hell do I do?' She took a deep breath and grabbed the controls with her good hand. 'No way can I do this one-handed.' Her attention was drawn to a flashing green light, she leaned in closer and then she growled. 'Son of a.he put the autopilot on! I'll kill him!'  
  
*** Face looked up as Murdock exited the cockpit. 'Uhhh Murdock.who's flying?'  
  
'Katie.'  
  
'She has an injured hand.' Hannibal said wondering what his captain was up to now.  
  
'Yeah I know.' Murdock told him. 'S'why I put the autopilot on.'  
  
'Ahhh.' Face said and then something occurred to him. 'Does Katie know that?'  
  
'Nope.' Murdock said and went into the bathroom.  
  
No sooner had he closed the door then Katie stormed into the cabin in a whirlwind of fury. She strode to the bathroom and hammered on the door. 'HM!' She yelled.  
  
'She's really angry.' Face remarked nonchalantly. He knew that Katie only ever called Murdock HM when she was furious with him.  
  
Hannibal nodded and then caught sight of the lieutenant's face. 'Face!' He exclaimed in exasperated amusement.  
  
'What? So I find anger somewhat.attractive in a woman.' Hannibal shook his head in mock disgust; fortunately, Katie had not heard that remark. The colonel hoped that Katie would keep the noise down.the last thing he wanted was for BA to wake up.  
  
Murdock opened the door and stepped into the cabin. 'Yes? I'm done now. Be more patient. You're doing a great job of flying by the way, told you you'd remember it all.'  
  
'You scared me half to death! I'm gonna kill you!'  
  
'I don't think you'll have to.' Hannibal remarked as BA gave a groan.  
  
'Uh oh.' Katie said stepping closer to Murdock.  
  
'Katie protect me!' Murdock grabbed her.  
  
'What?'  
  
'I'm the pilot he'll kill me first!'  
  
'Murdock you're nearly 6 inches taller than me and you have full use of both hands!'  
  
BA stirred and groaned again.  
  
'Face!' Hannibal said his tone laced with urgency. 'Time for a nighty night.'  
  
'Yeah.just one problem. That was the last of the Sodium Penethol.'  
  
'What?'  
  
'Well I'm sorry Hannibal but I had to use some on those bodyguards and twice on BA, I thought we'd be ok until Chicago. That stuff is hard to get on such short notice.I couldn't get so much this time.'  
  
'Then come up with something quickly Lieutenant!'  
  
'Murdock.land the plane!' Katie said desperately. The last thing she wanted was an angry BA on the warpath.  
  
'Oh I would darlin', I really would but we're right over water and this thing ain't exactly built for water skiing!'  
  
'Then what are we going to do?'  
  
'Well.' Murdock paused, thinking. 'You and I will go back in here.' He edged towards the cockpit. 'And leave these two to deal with him.'  
  
Katie nodded. 'Sounds fair.' They both dived for the cockpit and slammed the door shut. From the other side there was a shout.  
  
'I'M ON A PLANE!'  
  
'BA's awake.' Katie stated for want of something to say even though it was blatantly obvious.  
  
Murdock took the plane off autopilot and started flying again. 'Land! I need land!'  
  
Katie's eyes suddenly lit up and she reached for the small bag she'd brought on board with her.  
  
'What you got there?' Murdock asked as she pulled a bottle from it.  
  
'Medicine for insomnia. He'll be out like a light.'  
  
'Quick!' Murdock ordered. 'Go! Go!'  
  
Katie went, BA was yelling and struggling. Hannibal and Face were trying to hold him down but without much success.  
  
'Hannibal!'  
  
Hannibal turned and Katie handed him the bottle, one look at the label and he was unscrewing the cap.  
  
She retreated as quickly as she could. Quiet soon reigned once more throughout the plane.  
  
'Guess it worked.' She said to Murdock. 'It is ok to give him that right, I mean he's had two shots of Sodium Penethol as well.'  
  
'Sure.' Murdock said waving a hand. 'I have that and Sodium Penethol all the time at the VA.'  
  
Katie glanced at him. 'Right, now I'm reassured.' She said dryly.  
  
Murdock pretended to ignore this. 'Still having the dreams then.'  
  
Katie was quiet for a moment wondering how to respond to that. 'Sometimes.'  
  
'Me too.' He said surprising her. He saw her reaction and smiled. 'What you think I don't get them?' He gave a low laugh. 'I've seen worse things than hopefully you ever will.'  
  
'How did you find me?' She asked finally. She'd wanted to ask that for a while but hadn't been able to find the courage to bring up the subject.  
  
'I'll always find you.' Then as if it were an afterthought, he added. 'You're not that good at hiding.'  
  
She sighed. 'Let's hope that Jerome doesn't agree with you.'  
  
Murdock nodded grimly. 'Oh he won't. He's not going to find you, no way no how. But we will find him and when we do he's gonna be very, very, very sorry he ever laid a hand on you Muchacha.'  
  
Katie looked at him. 'Why do you call me Muchacha now? You used to call me Muchacho.'  
  
Murdock laughed. 'Guess you don't remember that, no I don't suppose you would, you were only a tiny Katie back then.' He grinned. 'It was in the early days when I came back with your dad. You must have been about 3 or 4. You heard me call your dad Muchacho and you were fascinated by the word. You went around calling everyone and everything that. So, I decided to call you that, kind of a nickname. Muchacho's the male form and Muchacha's the female form. It was just my way of teasing you at first and then it ended up as a pet name. '  
  
'So why don't you call me that now?'  
  
He shrugged. 'You've grown up a hell of a lot since then. No-one could mistake you for anything but a woman now.' He looked out at the window fixedly. 'Just doesn't seem right to be calling you Muchacho these days.'  
  
'Oh.' She was subdued, remembering. 'Tell me more.about me when I was little.'  
  
Murdock grinned. 'You were adamant you were going to marry Face.'  
  
'What!'  
  
His grin widened. 'It's true.you had the biggest crush on him.'  
  
'No way.' Her lips twisted into a grimace.  
  
'Yes way.' He sniffed and wiped away an imaginary tear. 'I got shoved down to second place after you met him.'  
  
'Aww.Murdock, you'll always be my number one.'  
  
'You know what, if I wasn't flying, I'd hug you.'  
  
She smiled and then looked at him seriously. 'Thank you.for everything.'  
  
'It's ok.' He whispered. 'Katie.if, if you want to talk, I'm here ok. Whatever it is, I'll listen.'  
  
She nodded. 'I know.' 


	3. Chapter Two

CHAPTER TWO  
  
Murdock landed the plane and helped carry BA out.  
  
'Sleeping like a baby.' Face said helping Katie step down from the plane. 'He's almost peaceful.'  
  
'Yeah.' Murdock grunted. 'The Big Guy looks almost cute when he's sleeping.'  
  
Katie smiled wanly. Her hand was really starting to hurt now and she was still worried. 'Look you guys should just give me the address and take off.'  
  
'Sorry kid.' Hannibal said laying his end of BA down on the tarmac. He looked over at Face. 'You've got ten minutes to find us some transport Face.'  
  
Face sighed. 'I hate working to time limits.'  
  
'Your best work comes when you're under pressure Lieutenant. Now hurry.'  
  
Face still hesitated. Murdock grinned and took the bait that had been dangled in front of his nose. 'I think he's losing his touch Hannibal, better let me do it. Poor Faceman, he's not as young as he used to be.'  
  
Face glared darkly. 'I'll be back in 5 minutes Hannibal with transport. I'll show you who's losing his touch.' He hurried off and Hannibal grinned.  
  
'Nice Murdock'  
  
'Thank you; he just needed a little push in the right direction.' He demonstrated the movement with his hand.  
  
Hannibal turned back to Katie. 'We're taking you to the hospital and we're staying with you. You said yourself that Jerome has contacts everywhere.'  
  
'Yes but the cops will be all over you.'  
  
'I love a challenge.' Hannibal told her pulling out a cigar and biting the end off.  
  
'We've been in situations like this before Katie, we'll be fine.' Murdock added putting an arm around her shoulders. 'Jerome and his goons aren't getting anywhere near you. Right Colonel?'  
  
'Right.' But Hannibal privately thought that Jerome wouldn't be so much of a problem; Katie, however, was a different matter.  
  
*** Murdock paced the waiting room in pent-up agitation. His hands were stuffed in his pockets and his baseball cap was on backwards.  
  
'Sit down fool.' BA, now awake, growled. 'You're making me dizzy!' He was still angry about being drugged and put on a plane, twice. He should have known better than to let Hannibal talk him into thinking an ambush at an airfield was a good idea. Murdock finally sat down and exhaled deeply.  
  
'Relax Murdock, she's fine. At the worst she has a broken hand, hardly life threatening.' Face tried to reassure him, though he himself was as impatient to be out of here as his friend.  
  
'Then why's it taking so long?'  
  
Hannibal was about to answer when his attention was drawn to the main door. A police officer had just entered. 'Easy guys.' He said in a low voice. 'Could be nothing.'  
  
The police officer went over to the desk and spoke to the receptionist. The receptionist nodded and pointed in the direction of the team. Clearly, it was something after all.  
  
'Be ready.' Hannibal told them, he was already tensed and prepared for a fight.  
  
The man approached them with what seemed like unbearable slowness. 'One of you guy's called Murdock?' He asked in harsh, nasal tones.  
  
Murdock swallowed and looked at Hannibal, when Hannibal nodded Murdock spoke up. 'That's me.'  
  
The man, Murdock saw that his last name was Wilkes, surveyed him casually. 'Could you step this way please? I have some questions.'  
  
'Anything you want to say to me you can say in front of these guys.' Behind him, BA tensed and stared at Wilkes with narrowed eyes.  
  
One look at BA and Wilkes, who really wanted to be back at his nice desk, drinking his nice hot coffee, decided not to pursue the matter further. 'Uh.sure.' He opened his notepad and studied it for a moment. 'You're the guy that brought in Katie Anderson?'  
  
Murdock licked his lips trying to remain calm and appear as if nothing in the slightest was the matter. 'That's right.'  
  
'You're what? A friend? A relative?'  
  
'A friend.just a friend.'  
  
'She was admitted with an injured hand? That right?'  
  
'Yeah.' A slow knot of tension was tightening in Murdock's lower back. He didn't like where this was going one bit. 'What's this all about?'  
  
'That's a nasty bruise on your jaw there Mr Murdock.' Wilkes raised his eyes from his notepad now and looked fully at Murdock. His grey eyes held no respite; it was clear what he was implying and where his line of questioning was leading.  
  
'Now Officer...' Face began but Murdock shook his head. He wanted to handle this himself.  
  
'What're you trying to say?'  
  
Wilkes cleared his throat, still very aware of the menacing presence of BA out of the corner of his eye. He really wanted to be back at the office shuffling paperwork and drinking coffee now. This had the potential to get nasty. 'The X-Ray shows that Miss Anderson's hand is not broken, merely sprained but it's likely that it happened by her hitting something or.' Here Wilkes hesitated.it wasn't too late to back out but he pressed on, he had a job to do no matter how much he wanted coffee and a sit down. 'Someone. Now the nurse noticed some contusions on her lower back. Mind explaining what happened?'  
  
Murdock leapt up from his seat now, infuriated. 'You think I put those there!' He yelled.  
  
BA and Hannibal grabbed hold of him. 'Calm down Murdock.' Hannibal's tone was frustratingly unruffled; his expression remained perfectly pleasant. Only the colonel's eyes showed what he was really feeling. He hoped that the officer didn't figure out why three of these guys looked so familiar. 'I'm sure the officer didn't mean it like that.'  
  
'I didn't hit her!' Murdock exclaimed angrily not caring that he was making a scene, not caring that at any moment the officer could realise who they were. BA's grip tightened on his shoulder almost painfully.  
  
'Officer what evidence do you have apart from the X-Ray that suggests that this gentleman hit Miss Anderson?' Face was there in an instant at his most charming.  
  
'Well.' The man began hesitantly.  
  
'I thought so.' Face put in before the man could think up a reason or suggest taking Murdock in for further questioning. 'When you have evidence you can make any allegations you like. In the meantime you will be hearing from Mr Murdock's lawyers. I suggest you leave now Officer.'  
  
BA growled in such a way that implied Wilkes' earlier suspicion that if he didn't leave now he was very shortly going to regret it. Wilkes all but backed away, tipping his hat to the receptionist as he left.  
  
Murdock shrugged out of BA and Hannibal's grip. 'I can't believe they think I hit her.' He said mournfully sitting down.  
  
'Well.we know that you didn't Murdock.' Hannibal told him sitting next to him. 'But they don't.see it from their point of view.'  
  
*** 'Murdock!' Katie was standing behind him. Murdock turned and she wrapped her arms around his waist in a tight hug burying her head into his chest. His hand automatically went to her hair. 'You have to get out of here.'  
  
Unthinkingly he put a hand on her back and felt her wince. 'Sorry.' He moved his hand. 'Already had a visit from the local cops.'  
  
The doctor approached them. 'Miss Anderson?'  
  
Katie pulled back and looked at Murdock. 'I told them what really happened.'  
  
'Good then maybe someone around here will believe me.'  
  
The doctor eyed him unblinkingly. 'Mr Murdock, could you tell me exactly what happened. I just want to make sure that Katherine isn't getting confused.'  
  
Murdock was very well aware that the doctor wanted to make sure that his story matched Katie's. They'd already covered this before they'd admitted her. 'Of course.'  
  
Murdock still had an arm around Katie. 'I went round to her house and found her boyfriend attacking her. He was beating on her. 'His hand clenched on Katie's shoulder as he saw in his head what had probably happened. 'I pulled him off her and he hit me. Then he ran off. Katie hurt her hand when she tried to fend him off. Leastways, that's what she told me. That right Katie?'  
  
'That's right.' She smiled at the doctor and wondered just how much of this he was buying.  
  
Murdock held the doctor's gaze keeping himself calm. The doctor nodded apparently satisfied. 'Ok well she can go home now. I've given her some pills to take if the pain gets too bad. There.uh, there is one other thing.' Here he looked directly at Katie. 'Miss, are you sure you don't want to press charges?'  
  
'I'm sure.'  
  
Murdock pretended to look surprised. 'Katie.I thought we discussed this.'  
  
Katie nodded. 'We did and I've decided not to.' The doctor looked at Katie again. 'Well if you're sure, then I have other patients to see to. Good day Miss Anderson, Mr Murdock, Gentlemen.' With a nod he walked away.  
  
The team and Katie walked out the door as quickly as they could.  
  
*** Katie fidgeted in the back of the van. 'You guys can drop me off. I'll find my own way home.'  
  
'Sorry kid.' Hannibal told her.  
  
'But.'  
  
'No buts.' Murdock put in. 'Whilst you're living under my roof, you'll do as you're told.'  
  
'Ok I'm 22 years old and this is not your roof. Besides, I can handle Jerome.'  
  
'You haven't done such a wonderful job of handling him so far Katie.' Hannibal added.  
  
'And it's my roof.' BA said. 'You're staying with my Momma, got a problem with that?'  
  
Katie made a face. 'No, no! Now you come to mention it.I think that keeping out of the way would be a great idea. And I'd love to meet your mom.'  
  
Murdock sat back in quiet satisfaction.  
  
'Good, when we get there you can tell us everything you know about Jerome.' Hannibal lit a cigar; Katie got the distinct feeling that he was forming a plan.  
  
'Well.there's really not that much to tell.' Katie said hurriedly, earning her a close look from Murdock.  
  
'Interesting.' Face raised a curious eyebrow. 'Considering you were going to marry the guy.'  
  
Katie flushed but didn't say anything. Hannibal was sure that they were going to have to watch her carefully.  
  
*** Katie liked Mrs Baracus immediately. She was warm, friendly and took Katie under her wing, fussing over her and exclaiming how nice it was to have a girl to look after for a change instead of all these boys. No one bothered to say that they were hardly ever here, in fact they barely even eluded to the fact that BA and the others were on the run. It was if this were a place where for a little while they could forget about that and just concentrate on being a family.  
  
Katie had been forewarned that Mrs B thought that BA was the leader of the A-Team and not Hannibal. But seeing the lady's face Katie got the feeling that she already knew but went along with it for BA's sake.  
  
Murdock too seemed happier here, clearly he thought of Mrs B as a surrogate mother, his own mother having died when he was only a child. BA's mom seemed to have no objection to treating Murdock as if he were her second son. She would tell 'Scooter' as she called BA not to pick on him and affectionately she would tell Murdock to stop jibing at BA.  
  
All in all Katie felt more relaxed around Mrs B than she could remember feeling in a long time. No one had mentioned Jerome or why they were there since they'd arrived and for this she was grateful. She couldn't take endless questions at this moment in time; she wanted to just forget about everything.  
  
Murdock finally gave BA a break. 'Can I use the phone Mrs B?'  
  
Mrs Baracus smiled fondly. 'Of course you can Murdock.'  
  
With a smile of thanks he got to his feet and headed for the kitchen to make his call. Katie felt somehow nervous now that he was not there. She didn't know what it was but she'd felt almost safe when he was sitting next to her.the silence that followed now that he was no longer in the room with them made her fear that they would start asking questions. In fact, she could see a look coming into Hannibal's eye.  
  
'I.I'm tired.' She said before he could open his mouth to ask her whatever question was on the tip of his tongue. She looked over at BA's mother who had a look of sympathy in her eyes. 'I don't suppose I could lie down could I?'  
  
'Let's get you to bed honey. Scooter get Katie's things into the spare bedroom.'  
  
Katie smiled wearily, she really was feeling tired now but for some reason she didn't want to go to sleep, she had too much to worry about. Jerome, the police, the drugs in Jerome's suitcase and her engagement ring lying on the floor of the plane where Murdock had oh-so-carefully placed it.  
  
BA picked up Katie's suitcase and rucksack and made for the spare room. Katie wondered where the rest of them were going to sleep tonight; she had a sneaking suspicion that Murdock would be camped out on the floor of her bedroom. No doubt someone would be on guard outside the apartments; that just left the sofa and the floor.  
  
She had a feeling that Face would opt for the sofa rather than a cold, hard floor. Getting to her feet she made to follow BA. As she went past Murdock he put a hand on her arm stopping her.  
  
'Yeah.one minute.' He handed the receiver to Katie. 'Your mom wants a word.' Before she could say anything he'd followed BA into the spare bedroom leaving her standing there holding the phone.  
  
Katie didn't know what to do, the last thing she wanted right now was to explain things to her mother but then Murdock had probably done plenty of explaining already.  
  
'H.hello?'  
  
'Oh Katie.' Her mother sounded very much like she was going to cry. Katie bit her lip and stared hard at the faded wallpaper willing herself not to lose control. 'Sweetie.I am so.'  
  
'Don't say it Mom, please don't say it.' She didn't want her mother's pity; she didn't want her to say sorry; she just wanted her to accept everything that had happened without question. 'I'm fine, hand hurts a bit but other than that, I'm doing good.'  
  
'Murdock said.he said Jerome was.' Karen couldn't even finish her sentence; she couldn't bring herself to say those words, to admit to herself that her daughter had been beaten by her fiancée. 'I knew something was wrong but I didn't realise just how wrong. It's going to be ok honey.they'll look after you, he won't come near you now.'  
  
'I know that Mom.' She didn't get much further, Karen was continuing, talking to her. Asking her almost pleadingly why she hadn't called her, written, anything to let her know that she needed help. Didn't she know that her mother would do anything for her whatever it was? Katie took it as well as she could.the long flight, the pains in her hand and in her back, not to mention a few other places as well were all starting to wear her down.  
  
Katie felt ridiculously as if she was the parent comforting the child rather than the other way around. 'Katie.I know how hard it hit you when you thought Murdock was.dead and I know things have been difficult for you since then.the dreams and everything.'  
  
Katie finally snapped, she was tired and she'd had enough. 'Mother.I am fine. And for your information, no I haven't gone crazy like last time.' She slammed the phone down feeling a headache growing behind her temples. She instantly regretted how harsh she had been but she had too much to deal with and her mother giving one of her lectures had not helped.  
  
She was dimly aware that BA and his mom were getting up, leaving the apartment and Face and Hannibal with them. She headed for the bedroom feeling wrung out and needing desperately to find a way of getting rid of her anger.  
  
Murdock was unpacking some of her things for her when she went in; razor- sharp anger swallowed her and her eyes flashed. 'What in the hell did you do that for?' She was shaking with a rage she didn't know she had. She wasn't even sure why she was so angry with him.  
  
'What?' He looked genuinely confused as if he had no idea what she was talking about, this only served to infuriate her further.  
  
'You had no right to tell my mother what was going on.you had no right to ring her without.'  
  
Now Murdock was angry too.her anger caught like fire and immediately his eyes were ablaze with it too. 'Your permission? Come on Katie, we both know that you were never going to tell her, not unless you had to. And besides, you're her daughter, she wanted to know how you were, I said I'd tell her as soon as I could.'  
  
'Yes but you didn't have to tell her everything. That was for me to do, in my own time and in my own way.'  
  
'And we both know what way that is!' He hated himself for biting back at her but he couldn't seem to help it. 'You'd have just hidden your head in the sand and hoped it would all go away.just like always. You're not stupid Katie, you must have known what Jerome was into and yet you still stuck around. Why was that exactly? Because he was good in bed, because he wouldn't let you leave or because you just chose to ignore it and take the beatings.'  
  
He knew he wasn't as angry with her as he seemed. He was mostly angry with Jerome but the fact that she hadn't been able to trust even him with how bad things had been hurt him deeply. Their relationship had deepened since he'd come back a year ago.  
  
'How dare you!' She was more than furious now; she was enraged beyond the point of reason.  
  
'No don't give me that. Don't get mad at me for getting involved; don't get mad at me for caring. Just remember Katie; I won't always be here to get you out of the bad things. I'm not always going to be here to rescue you.'  
  
'I do not need rescuing.I don't need you bursting in on me and dragging me away as if I am a child. It's time you realised that I'm an adult now and I make my own decisions.' She had stepped closer to him, shaking violently.  
  
'Well if you didn't act like child then I wouldn't. When are you going to grow up? You're playing in a big world here little girl, bigger than you know and I am not going to be there all the time.I can't be cleaning up your mess anymore.'  
  
They were so close now that he could feel the heat coming off of her in waves. She was angry and she was hurt. He'd gone too far.said too much but that was always the way it was with her.  
  
'I don't need someone from a mental institution to be my knight in shining armour! If I want help I'll go to someone who is mentally capable of dealing with the real world!'  
  
He grabbed her by her upper arms and stared hard into her eyes. 'Now you wait a minute.'  
  
'No you wait a minute.I didn't ask you to come charging in and drag me all the way here. I didn't want your help; I didn't want you to know that he beat me and hurt me. I didn't want you to know that my fiancée was a drug- dealer.that was why I didn't call on you for help. I didn't want you hanging over my shoulder watching my every move and telling me how to run my life!'  
  
He didn't know how it happened; afterwards he could never tell who made the first move all he knew was that he was angry with her. Far angrier than he had ever been in his life, it blinded him and he could hardly think straight.  
  
One minute he was staring into her furious blue eyes and the next minute he was kissing her passionately. The thing that always surprised him afterwards was not the kiss itself but the fact that she responded with equal feeling.  
  
His head finally caught up with the rest of him and he thrust her away from him. 'Jesus Christ!' Normally he didn't swear but he didn't know what else to say. Tony's daughter, Tony's daughter; that thought reverberated around his brain. She was 15 years younger than he was if not more and he had thought that he was a surrogate father to her; that he thought of her as his.  
  
With a shock he realised that he hadn't felt that way towards her in a long time, somehow, somewhere along the line his feelings for her had changed beyond the point of return. As he looked at her, he saw that she was a woman now and that his feelings for her had long since changed. Every time he'd touched her, every word he'd spoken to her since that day nearly two years ago flashed through his mind. She'd sought the team out for help back then and even then he'd somehow known without knowing that he didn't really think of her as a daughter.a friend yes but daughter, no, not now. She was too different now and he was changed too.  
  
She was breathing hard and looking like a deer caught in the headlights. 'Katie.' He made to reach out to her but his hand dropped back to his side uselessly. 'I'm so sorry.I should have had more control than that.'  
  
Slowly she raised her hand to her lips.their fingertips touching them thoughtfully. She looked at him; all her anger was gone now, she looked confused but not disgusted. He saw something in her eyes and remembered the way she'd responded to him. He had to get away from her before he lost control completely. Things were too confused now.what he'd thought he felt was not what he was really feeling.  
  
'I'm sorry.' He said again. This time she was the one that made the first move and even as he tried to pull away she was drawing him closer. Something that should feel so wrong was starting to feel so right.  
  
Without even knowing it he'd pushed her back against the door still kissing her, holding her. He undid the buttons of her shirt without thinking and her legs were around his waist before he could even acknowledge what was happening.  
  
He felt her hand fumbling for his khakis and he wanted to pull away, to ask her if this was what she wanted or if it was because of the way Jerome had treated her that she was doing this.  
  
He did none of these things, instead he undid her jeans, pulling them down and blocking out every thought of what he was doing and whom he was doing it with.  
  
He opened his eyes and looked at her.she was looking at him with something very close to shock in her eyes. They'd gone too far and now the realization was hitting them. 'Katie.' He spoke her name in a whisper and she came back down to earth.  
  
'Yes.' It was an answer to his unspoken question, the question he had asked only with his eyes. 'It's ok.'  
  
He removed her legs from around his waist and redid his khakis. 'No.no it's not. I won't do that.not with you, not now, not like this.'  
  
He thought he saw tears in her eyes. 'Get some sleep.' He walked out of the room leaving Katie to stand there lost in a whirl of confused emotions. 


	4. Chapter Three

CHAPTER THREE  
  
Murdock sat on the sofa and buried his head in his hands trying to sort through the tangle of emotions. He'd been so close to losing control.too close for comfort. He'd wanted her, still did want her and that scared him and disgusted him all at once.  
  
She was younger than him; her father had been his best friend. He'd known her since before she could walk, how could he even contemplate what had nearly happened?  
  
Was it because he was crazy? Because she appeared to be feeling everything he was feeling or because he was genuinely attracted to her?  
  
When he'd come back after pretending to be dead everything had changed then. The feelings he'd had before were not the same, he'd seen more and more how much she was growing up, and he'd buried his true feelings for her; tried to pretend they didn't exist.  
  
Now though, now she appeared to feel the same for him as he did for her. But she'd just escaped an abusive boyfriend. It was natural that she wouldn't be thinking clearly, would try to find comfort whenever and wherever it came along. He'd just happened to be there.  
  
The bedroom door opened and she stood there staring at him. He raised his head and looked back at her. In his mind's eye he saw again their fevered kiss. He got to his feet, walked towards her, shunning every sense that screamed that what he was doing was wrong. He no longer cared.  
  
He grabbed her and kissed her harshly, he felt her press herself against him. She pulled off his cap running her fingers through his hair. His mind whirled; every sense was full of her. The way she felt, the smell and taste of her. His hands were in her hair, on her back and then he heard her gasp, not from pleasure this time but from pain. And he was dragged back to the present with a jolt, he remembered the bruises, remembered who she was.  
  
Carefully, he removed her arms where they were laced around his neck; he looked at her for a long moment and then picked her up in his arms. He carried her into the bedroom and kicked the door shut in one fluid movement.  
  
*** She was sleeping now, her face flushed, her hair plastered to her cheek. He knew he should wake her so that they could both get dressed; someone could come back at any time. Despite the fact that they could be caught he remained looking down at her for a while.  
  
He'd been shocked by just how bad the bruises were, the ones that she'd kept carefully hidden. He didn't understand why she'd stayed with Jerome, how she could have ended up like this. She'd explained it to him carefully, how when she'd finally found out what he was like it had been too late. Terrified of what he might do she'd stayed feeling trapped, too afraid to ask for help. He knew it must have been bad for her to act like that; normally she could take pretty good care of herself. He'd always thought her strong enough to break out of something like this. But she'd told him that when you fear for your life what you thought before no longer had meaning.  
  
To get out of his clutches she would have needed a way off the island, she would have needed a plane or a boat. Neither was possible, Jerome owned all the planes and all the boats; his men were the pilots and the sailors. None of them would have helped her escape.  
  
He propped himself up on one elbow and looked down at her. He was starting to think that he loved her, not the kind of love he'd had before but real love.  
  
Finally he tore himself away and got dressed, gathering up Katie's clothes he shook her gently. 'Kate.Katie.'  
  
With a groan she opened her eyes and seeing who it was she smiled up at him. 'Hey.' She stretched languidly in the bed reminding him of a contented cat. He reached out and brushed her hair out of her eyes for her.  
  
'Time to get dressed, they could be back at any moment.'  
  
With a nod she sat up and pulled the bedcovers to her. 'Murdock.'  
  
'Yeah?' He wondered why she was suddenly so shy about him seeing her.  
  
'Things are gonna be ok between us right? It's not going to be awkward now is it?'  
  
'No I don't think so, unless you feel awkward. You don't feel awkward do you?'  
  
'No.but I don't want anyone to know.'  
  
'Yeah.good idea, let's just keep this between ourselves.' The idea of telling the guys what he'd been doing not 15 minutes earlier was not something he would welcome.  
  
He opened one of her bags and pulled out a nightgown. 'Here you go, put that on and get to sleep. You must be exhausted.'  
  
'Now I am.' She gave a sly smile and he couldn't help but grin back. He leaned over and kissed her.  
  
'We'll talk later.' He walked into the living room leaving her to watch him go longingly with a wistful smile on her face.  
  
*** It wasn't long afterwards that Hannibal and Face came back from scouring the area. They'd been checking everything over, going over all possible exits and entrances and trying to spot if Jerome had found out where they were yet.  
  
'We need to find out where he is and to do that we need to know some of the people he associates with.'  
  
'Yeah but I don't know if Katie will know. I don't think he ever included her in that kind of thing.' Murdock was sure that Hannibal or Face would take one look at him and know what had happened. If they were suspicious they were hiding it pretty well.  
  
'Well as soon as she's awake we need to talk to her.'  
  
'Sure.' Murdock said trying to act normal. He knew Hannibal was right but he didn't want to put Katie through that right now. 'I think I'm gonna get some sleep too.' He stood up and walked into the spare bedroom.  
  
Face watched him go. 'You think they had a fight?'  
  
'More than likely.' Hannibal answered. 'She didn't seem too pleased to see us. I only hope she'll cooperate.'  
  
Face looked at his colonel. 'You think she'll go running back to Jerome? After we went to all the trouble of getting her out?'  
  
'I don't know but she could do and she's been awful keen to get rid of us. I keep getting the feeling that there's more to this.'  
  
The conman nodded. 'Right. Let's just hope that Murdock can talk to her and get her to cooperate.'  
  
*** It was a long while later when Katie woke. She felt better than she had in a long while. For the first time she'd slept without having to be afraid of the presence in the bed next to her, whether Jerome would decide that she'd offended him in some way, however small. That Jerome would be rough with her maybe even beat her. She felt safe.  
  
The soft sound of breathing reached her ears and leaned over the side of the bed. On the floor Murdock was sleeping. A smile touched her lips. He looked peaceful; she remembered how gentle he'd been earlier. She'd been surprised; the whole thing had been a surprise. From the way he'd been kissing her she hadn't expected him to be so tender, so caring. She'd never dreamed that he would feel this way about her or even that she would return his feelings. But she did and for the first time she knew that it had been love and not just the act itself that had made it good.  
  
Her hand still ached a little but that too seemed to have faded away. For the first time in weeks she felt as if she could make it through the next minute, the next hour maybe even the next day.  
  
She rolled over onto her back again and closed her eyes drifting back to sleep. She jerked awake suddenly and found his face staring into hers. He pulled her into his arms.  
  
'The guys want me to talk to you. They want to know what you know about Jerome, the people he associates with, what he does. Whatever you know.'  
  
She nestled into his chest feeling protected. 'I told you, I really don't know that much. He kept me out of most of it. There were a couple of guys that came around, I'll tell you what I know but it isn't a lot.'  
  
'Anything would be good right now.' He stroked her hair gently. 'Then I can make sure he doesn't get anywhere near you.'  
  
She frowned. 'What's that smell? Smell's like food.' Her stomach growled hungrily.  
  
With a grin he sat up. 'Smells like Mrs B's making dinner and sounds like you're hungry.'  
  
'Starving.'  
  
'Better get dressed then.' There was a teasing look in his eye and again she was surprised by just how comfortable she felt around him. She thought she'd feel awkward or embarrassed but it just felt normal, right.  
  
'Too much hard work.'  
  
He grinned wryly. 'I'm only good at the undressing bit; don't know about the rest of it.'  
  
She hit his arm playfully glad for the teasing. 'Shut up.'  
  
'How's your hand?'  
  
'Sore still.'  
  
He took it in his and examined it. 'Poor Katie, I'm sorry my jaw hurt your hand.'  
  
'My hand says your jaw is forgiven.'  
  
'Oh good.' He smiled as she reached up and stroked her fingers along the line of his jaw, caressing his cheek. He kissed the palm of her hand. 'Remind me never to make you mad again. Guess I should be thankful you didn't go for the same place as last time.' He remembered a rather painful injury she'd inflicted on his groin area but then she hadn't known it was him and he had dragged her into an alley. It was natural she'd try and fight back.  
  
'If I had what happened a couple of hours ago wouldn't have done.'  
  
'Yeah.well I did tell you to aim for a place that was less sensitive last time. At least I could still walk after this one.'  
  
'You sound as if me beating you up is something that happens regularly.'  
  
He chuckled and kissed the top of her head. 'Isn't it?'  
  
'No thank you very much it is not. I was angry.'  
  
'I rest my case.'  
  
'Well if you weren't so stubborn.' She began but he cut her off with a kiss.  
  
He pulled back. 'Sorry, you were saying?'  
  
She still had her eyes closed. 'I can't remember.' Sitting up she looked around for her clothes.  
  
'On the chair.' He said apparently reading her mind.  
  
'How'd you know I wanted clothes?'  
  
'Lucky guess.'  
  
'Thanks for picking them all up anyway.'  
  
'That's ok sweetheart.' He lay back lazily as she got up and started to get dressed. 'Need any help?'  
  
She stopped struggling one-handed with her bra and turned to him blushing. 'Well.I.'  
  
He sat up and did it for her. He kissed the back of her neck gently.  
  
'Murdock.someone might come in.'  
  
He pulled away. 'We should talk Katie.'  
  
'I know, just not right now. It's all good right now; don't want anything to ruin it.'  
  
'Ok.' He got up reluctantly. 'I'll go see what Mrs B's cooking up. Give me a shout if you need anymore help.'  
  
'I think I can manage thanks anyway.'  
  
He smiled at her and walked out of the room.  
  
*** Katie gave Hannibal everything she knew, she was right it wasn't a lot but it was enough for Face to get a head start. He would have to work with what he had and hope that something came up.  
  
The next day Mrs Baracus went to visit some relatives and BA went with her. Hannibal and Face went to find more on Jerome and get some weapons. That left Katie and Murdock alone in the apartment.  
  
They stayed in separate rooms for all of ten minutes and then they were kissing again.  
  
She pulled away gasping. 'Murdock.I've gotta get outta here!'  
  
He kissed her neck. 'We have to stay here hon.'  
  
'Please.'  
  
'No, Jerome could be.'  
  
'But.I want to.well you know.' Stupidly she was blushing.  
  
He chuckled. 'I see, well everyone's gone but I suppose someone could come in. We're supposed to stay here.'  
  
'Yeah.I know. Just starting to feel claustrophobic.'  
  
'Ok, I know of a place.'  
  
Katie nodded and nuzzled his neck. 'Good.'  
  
'We need to talk anyway.'  
  
She gave a groan. 'Do we have to?' She carried on kissing his neck, her fingers straying to the buttons on his shirt.  
  
'Yes.' He kissed her briefly and then went to get his jacket.  
  
Less than 15 minutes later he was checking them into a hotel and leading her to their room.  
  
'I won't ask how you know this place but remind me to thank Face some day.' She said eying the elaborate wallpaper and the large bed in their room. She peeked into the bathroom and squealed. He came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist.  
  
'What is it?'  
  
'A Jacuzzi!' She beamed up at him and he laughed, kissing the top of her head lovingly.  
  
'Want to try it out.'  
  
She smiled. 'No not right now, maybe later.' She blushed feeling almost nervous now. Somehow this didn't seem as easy as it first had.  
  
She lay down on the bed and he lay next to her. They both stared up at the ceiling; they were less driven now, the urgent need to make love had left them. Instead the first feeling of awkward shyness was taking over.  
  
He reached over and took her hand. 'So.what now?' She asked softly.  
  
'We don't have to Katie.' He was quiet, thoughtful, wondering if she was regretting it.  
  
'No.no I want to.it just feels strange now. Now that I'm thinking about it.' She linked her fingers through his and remained staring up at the ceiling.  
  
'You just want to talk for now?' He rubbed the back of her hand with his thumb absentmindedly.  
  
'Sure, you said we should, I guess you're right.'  
  
'Ok.well, how do you feel about this?' He didn't want to scare her off but he had to know. To know if she was sincere, if all this was just a roll in the hay for her or something more.  
  
'What talking?'  
  
'No, this in general, you and me.sleeping together.'  
  
'Strange. I never thought it'd happen. Not really sure what to think to be honest. Except.it was never like that with anyone before.'  
  
'No.' He squinted up at the ceiling trying to make shapes out of the patterns carved there. Sometimes he wondered how it was he could see shapes in the weirdest things but never in inkblots. It would make his life a lot easier if he didn't have to guess at the inkblot test. A smile crossed his face as he remembered yesterday afternoon. 'No, never like that before.' He looked over at her with a curious expression. 'Who was your first?'  
  
The question surprised her and she wondered what he would think if he knew that she was wishing that it had been him. 'I was 16; he was 17. He was a good friend, his name was Maxwell.'  
  
Murdock looked over at her. 'You slept with a guy called Maxwell? Maxwell?'  
  
'Yes.' She pursed her lips. 'And we called him Max thanks very much.'  
  
'Sounds like a spoilt rich kid.'  
  
'He was not! He was very nice actually. Yes his family had money but he wasn't spoilt.'  
  
'You loved him?'  
  
She looked over at him starting to sense just a hint of jealously in his tone of voice. 'No, I didn't love him. It was just something that happened, we still had a good relationship afterwards but it was never about love.'  
  
'And Jerome.that about love?' A hard note had come into Murdock's voice now as he said the name. The idea that someone could treat her so harshly actually caused him physical pain now. God he was starting to fall in love with this woman, Tony's daughter. But that thought no longer made him try to curb his desires. Again his thumb stroked the back of her hand, he wasn't even aware that he was doing it.  
  
She was silent for a long time after he'd asked the question, wondering how to answer. 'No.I thought because it was good sexually that meant it was a good relationship and I convinced myself that I loved him. Obviously as soon he saw that and realised he had me where he wanted me he changed.'  
  
'What did he want from you?' He was staring fixedly at the ceiling now. The patterns in the ceiling had vanished.  
  
She laughed; a low husky laugh. 'What every man wants.'  
  
He closed his eyes; she had no idea how much that answer had pained him. 'Not every man.' He whispered.  
  
Now she looked over at him. 'Don't you? Isn't that what this is about?'  
  
'Not for me, I don't know what you're thinking this is or even what you want it to be but for me it's more than just that.'  
  
'Murdock.' Her voice was soft and gentle as she spoke his name. 'I love you.'  
  
He felt as if he was being torn in two, he pulled her close to him now. 'Then why is this so damn hard?'  
  
'I don't know.' She whispered. 'Because I'm so much younger, because my father was your best friend, because you've known me since I was a baby and maybe because you never knew that this is what you felt or would feel.'  
  
His lips sought out hers hungrily.was this only passion, only his crazy vibes venting themselves? Was it just the fact that he couldn't remember the last time he'd had a relationship? Was it just because she was hurting? The questions were a whirlwind inside his brain. How could he love her like this? Why did it have to hurt so badly? He pushed the thoughts away and concentrated on her and only her. She was everything now; nothing else mattered.  
  
*** Face entered the apartment and was struck by how quiet it was. There was no sound; all was peaceful and still. He could hear the rhythmic ticking of the clock, the buzz of cars in the street below, the steady hum of the refrigerator. He opened the bedroom door and peered in, the bed was empty no sign of Katie. He checked the master bedroom, no sign of Murdock. There was no indication of a struggle; indeed it seemed as if they had never been there at all but all Katie's bags said otherwise standing solitarily in the corner of the spare bedroom, that at least told him that she hadn't upped and left or if she had she'd gone without taking any of her things with her.  
  
Maybe Katie had thought of something that might help and Murdock had gone with her, but surely he would have left a note. Face scoured the apartment; there was no note.  
  
He tried to think of all the places his friend might go if he were in trouble or had to get away. But again he saw that nothing was out of place and there was no suggestion that anything bad had happened. Surely one of them would have put up a fight, there would be something to show that they were in trouble, Murdock would have made sure of that. But if he hadn't have had time.?  
  
Face set off at a run out of the apartment to try and find his friend.  
  
*** Katie buried her head in the pillow and gave a groan. 'Katie?' Murdock asked. 'You alright?'  
  
She gave a mumbled groan again and then rolled over onto her back. 'Hon?' He was starting to get concerned. 'Did I do something wrong?'  
  
There was a look of horror on her face at the suggestion, she shook her head still trying to speak and still unable to form words. 'I think my brain is turning to mush.' She finally managed to say.  
  
He frowned. 'Yeah? That a good or a bad thing?' He wasn't sure what to think of her reaction.  
  
'Good.all good, all very, very good!'  
  
This time he grinned and started to laugh. He put his arms around her and she traced meaningless circles on his chest with her fingertips. He stroked her hair and kissed the top of her head, letting his lips linger there so that he could smell the scent of her hair. 'How did this happen?'  
  
'You started kissing me.'  
  
'You know what I mean.' His hand stroked her back absentmindedly.  
  
'Right now I don't care.'  
  
'How do you feel about it?'  
  
'You asked me that before Murdock. I said I didn't feel awkward and before you ask me, I still don't. I know it's strange, unexpected but its right, I know its right.'  
  
'But.'  
  
'No buts!' She wouldn't let him finish. 'Or I'm sending you back to Richter and telling him to reconsider your therapy!'  
  
He grinned. 'Yeah, he'd have a field day with this. I might just tell him to curb his boredom.'  
  
'I'd hate to think what Jamison would say. That this is all an allusion to me not being able to maintain a relationship because of bereavement at a young age.'  
  
'Probably.' He said wryly. 'On the other hand he could just say you were crazy. Hey there's an idea! You need to get crazy and then you come live with me at the VA.my bed is big enough for two.'  
  
She grinned. 'Now you're starting to get crude Captain. Besides, I'm already crazy and they haven't packed me off anywhere yet.'  
  
'You need to get arrested.that should do it. And I'm nowhere near crude.'  
  
'You're bordering on it. You want me to get arrested, for what?'  
  
'I don't know, get framed for stealing money from a bank in Hanoi; it worked for us.'  
  
She laughed. 'You guys did that bank robbery Murdock.'  
  
He shook his head. 'Uh uh, they did the bank robbery, I was just their pilot and 'sides we was all under orders.'  
  
'And pigs might fly. You might have been under orders but you were far more than just their pilot, you've always been more than just a pilot.'  
  
'Oh thank you. You know I really fancy a fly. It's weird I always fancy a fly after.' He stopped; he was very nearly blushing.  
  
She grinned mischievously. 'Do you now.that'll be interesting to remember.'  
  
'Forget I said that. Want to try out the Jacuzzi now?'  
  
'Now you're avoiding the subject. Besides, you asked me about my first, what about your first? Who was she?'  
  
'Why'd you want to know?'  
  
She raised her head and looked at him, some of her blonde hair falling over her face. 'Why'd you want to know about mine?'  
  
'Just wanted to know.'  
  
'Well maybe I just want to know.' She was defiant now and he couldn't help a smirk.  
  
'You're jealous.'  
  
'So were you when I mentioned Max!'  
  
'I love it when you get angry.'  
  
'Hey, just remember I get physical when I get angry.'  
  
He rolled her over onto her back and looked down at her. 'So I've noticed.' He kissed her.  
  
'I didn't mean that.' He silenced her protests and then came the knock on the door. He froze midway through kissing her. Both their eyes turned towards the door. Instantly he was off the bed and fumbling for his clothes. He tossed Katie her clothes and pulled a small gun out of his jacket pocket.  
  
'You carry a gun everywhere you go?' She asked in a low voice, Murdock responded by pushing her towards the bathroom.  
  
'Stay in here, if you hear any trouble climb out the window and get away. Go back to the apartment, tell the guys what happened but whatever you do don't stay.'  
  
She looked at him quizzically. 'Tell them everything that happened?'  
  
He paused. 'Not unless you have to, make something up.' He gave her quick kiss and shut the door.  
  
Running his fingers through his hair he called through the door. 'Who is it?'  
  
'Room service.' Face's voice replied. Murdock's eyes nearly popped out of his skull. How had his friend found him here?  
  
He opened the door a crack. 'What are you doing here?'  
  
'What are you doing here?' Face retorted. 'You're supposed to be back at the apartment with Katie.  
  
Murdock struggled for an answer that would sound at least halfway good. How could he tell his best friend what he'd spent the last hour doing. He didn't want to have to explain it, he didn't know if he even understood himself let alone trying to make someone else understand. But then, Face slept with all sorts of women; maybe this wouldn't seem so bad. No.he couldn't tell him, not now, not yet.  
  
'How'd you find me?'  
  
Face shrugged. 'Pure chance, I remembered that I took this gorgeous brunette here one day; remember? We met in the lobby by accident, you told Maria that she reminded you of your grandmother, insulted her and made her walk out? Well I just figured you could be here, sure enough your name was on the books.'  
  
'I used a fake name!'  
  
'Come on Murdock, I know all your fake names. I did notice you signed in with someone.who is she? Anyone I know? Does she have a sister by any chance?'  
  
'Just get out of here Face.'  
  
'Katie's gone missing.Hannibal is not going to be pleased.'  
  
'She's what?' Murdock tried to sound surprised and worried. 'What happened? Was it Jerome or.what?' He hoped he sounded convincing.  
  
'So she's not with you. I was hoping she was. No I don't think it was Jerome; there was no mess and no signs of a struggle. You know Katie, she wouldn't go without a fight.well not unless she wanted to go with him. So who is this mystery woman?'  
  
Murdock licked his lips and thought quickly. 'Meet me downstairs in five minutes; I have an idea of a few places she could be.'  
  
'I can't meet this woman?'  
  
'No, I like her which means I might want to carry on dating her. I don't want you stealing her.'  
  
'Murdock I'm hurt.'  
  
'Face.just go will ya.' Face shrugged and turned away, Murdock shut the door and locked it. That had been close and it wasn't over yet, he'd still have a heck of a lot of explaining to do. What would be easier? Making up a lie or coming clean?  
  
The bathroom door opened and Katie came out. 'Was that.?'  
  
'Yes.' Murdock sat down on the bed and put his head in his hands. 'This was stupid.I should have known it was a bad idea.'  
  
Her hand had been reaching out to his shoulder but now she stopped and took a step back. 'Oh.' Her voice was flat and lifeless; the remark had stung even though she was sure he hadn't meant it like it sounded. He realised his mistake and reached out a hand drawing her close. He pulled her down onto his lap and kissed her temple.  
  
'Not that; never that. I just should have known that we'd be missed. I'll sort something out don't worry.'  
  
She laid her head on his shoulder wondering if this was the end. They'd been nearly caught now.what if they were caught? Would that take the fire out of it all? Would the lack of excitement mean that he would no longer want her? There were so many questions and suddenly the whole thing was too confusing for her. 'You.you should get downstairs before Face starts to get worried.'  
  
Murdock nodded. 'Ok, there's a fire escape down the hall. Jus' take her down to the ground and meet me back at the apartment, try not to be seen and stay safe.'  
  
She nodded and made for the door. Halfway she turned. 'How'd you know about the fire escape? I didn't realise you were being that observant.'  
  
He smiled and laughed. 'You think I'd bring you here and not know how to get you out if I had to?'  
  
She didn't know how to answer that. 'Oh.' It was the only thing she could think of to say, she was touched but even that only confused her more. She would be glad to get out and be away from him so she could think. She opened the door and walked out into the hall heading for the fire escape.  
  
In the room Murdock waited a moment wondering what on earth he was going to tell Face and Hannibal. He spared one last look towards the rumpled bed where he'd spent the last hour making love to Katie and allowed himself a smile. Whatever he told them, it wouldn't be that.not yet, not till he was sure, sure that she really did love him too. 


	5. Chapter Four

CHAPTER FOUR  
  
Katie walked out of the hotel and down the fire escape musing to herself. As she headed out into the warm sunshine a hand grabbed her and pulled her into the alley. She grinned, somehow Murdock must have been able to shake off Face and he'd lain in wait for her.  
  
She turned with a smile on her face but the smile faded as she saw who stood there, she had just enough time to scream before everything went black.  
  
***  
  
'Look, I won't try and steal her from you. I'd like to meet her.you've kept her secret, she must be pretty special.'  
  
'She is, Faceman.' Murdock shoved his hands in his pockets and walked out of the hotel. 'Let's just find Katie ok. Maybe she just went out for something.'  
  
'Why did you leave her anyway? That's not like you Murdock, is everything ok? You were rather distant last night and this morning.'  
  
'I'm fine.can we just leave it alone.' He turned down the street.  
  
A cultured voice spoke from behind him. 'Mr Murdock? Mr Peck?'  
  
Both men turned slowly and Murdock felt himself break out in gooseflesh. A man was standing behind him and when Murdock saw what he was holding he felt his heart constrict painfully. He had an arm around Katie's neck and she was unconscious. In his other hand he held a gun. Murdock swallowed. 'I'm guessing this is Jerome, Face.'  
  
'You'd guess right Mr Murdock.' Jerome smiled tightly. 'I've heard a lot about you.'  
  
'Just let her go. Come on she's nothing to you, you were going to dump her in the ocean.' He felt panic grip him.if he'd wanted assurance of how he felt about her, now he knew. Oh he knew.  
  
'I trust then that you were responsible for that little message for me. The ring in my airplane? Perhaps I should ask Katherine what it is that she wants. Perhaps the answer she gives me won't be the one you would expect.'  
  
'Jerome.please.she's done nothing.'  
  
Jerome laughed. 'She walked away from me.she would be the first to tell you that this is one of the worst things you can do to me. She was on my terms, she left when I told her to.'  
  
'Dammit.you're making it sound as if she was some kind of animal or a toy.'  
  
Face laid a hand on Murdock's shoulder. Jerome's vicious smile widened and Murdock felt a chill go through him. He knows, he thought, he knows about Katie and me and he's going to do his best to make sure that I know he knows.  
  
'Mr Murdock.that is precisely what she was. She belonged to me.give my regards to your colonel.' Then there was smoke and Jerome was gone as a grenade exploded before Face and Murdock sending them diving for cover.  
  
As soon as he could Murdock scrambled to his feet and scanned the area for Katie. 'Murdock.he's gone, we have to get back to the apartment get Hannibal and BA.'  
  
'This is all my fault Face.it's all my fault.' Murdock couldn't breathe.she was gone. She was gone and because of him he might not ever get the chance to tell her how he really felt. He clenched his hands into fists. 'No.no, I won't let him do this.' I'll tell her, he thought. I will tell her how I feel and I will get her back.  
  
Face saw the look in his eyes and remembered it from all those months before when Katie had been kidnapped as bait by Carl to draw Murdock out. There had been that same look in his eyes then but Face thought he saw something there now that hadn't been before.  
  
*** When Katie opened her eyes she found that her arms and legs were bound. She was lying on an elaborate bed in an even more elaborate room. There was the strong smell of cigarette smoke in the air.  
  
Jerome was seated in a chair at the end of the bed and he was smoking a cigarette thoughtfully. He regarded her with cold eyes. 'Well.Katherine it's nice to see you awake.' With deliberate care he extinguished the cigarette in the ashtray beside him.  
  
'Untie me.' She said with as much dignity as she could muster. Her head still felt woozy from where he'd clubbed her with the gun.  
  
'On the contrary you will remain secured until I can be certain that you will not try and escape again.'  
  
Katie said nothing aware that it was useless to argue with him, he was a hell of a lot stronger than she was and she'd had experience with how he was when angered.  
  
Jerome got to his feet and sat next to her on the bed. 'Oh darling.' He stroked her cheek with one finger. 'You should know better by now.you know that I don't just allow you to go running off whenever you please.especially with that group of pests that call themselves soldiers.' His hand cupped her cheek turning her face towards his. 'Why did you ever think you could run from me? Did you think they would keep you safe? A thief, a delusional old man, a thug and a crazy man? Oh darling no, you can't hide from me, I'll always find you in the end.'  
  
Despite herself, Katie felt a tear slip down her cheek. His fingers tightened on her chin painfully. 'You know how I feel about being betrayed.you know what I have to do now.' He started to untie her. 'It pains me that I have to punish you this way but.I have no other choice. You have to be taught and you have to be shown that I will not tolerate disobedience. When you are my wife there will be no more of this nonsense.'  
  
He let the ropes fall to the floor and turned her over on her front. She kept her silence through the beatings and the shame, not once did she scream and through her hot burning tears one thought remained. One thing kept her whole.Murdock's face in her mind and the memory of the look in his eyes. The knowledge that he loved her even if he had not told her.  
  
*** Face was right, Hannibal was not pleased but he did not waste time reprimanding Murdock for not doing his job properly.he gave out his orders in a clipped tone that suggested he would not take any nonsense.  
  
Murdock said nothing; he kept his head down and got on with the job. Face had a good idea of where Jerome might be it was just getting in there and finding him.  
  
Mrs Baracus handed Murdock a cup of tea and gave him a sympathetic smile. 'You'll find her honey, I know you will.' Murdock only nodded and turned back to the blueprints laid out on the table.  
  
'This suite is the one Jerome is occupying if my sources are correct. Now.you need a pass to get in.' Face said.  
  
'Can you get us one?' Hannibal asked studying the prints carefully.  
  
'I've already tried and it's harder to get one of those things than it is an invitation to the Oscars and believe me I've tried to get one of those too.'  
  
Murdock allowed himself a small grin, he could just imagine Face living it up with all the celebrities and probably claiming to be one himself all the while.  
  
'This place is harder to break into than Fort Knox.' Face continued. 'I do have one or two people I was going to try to get me in but.we're running out of time.'  
  
'Yeah.we are.' Murdock murmured. 'The quicker you can get us in the better Faceman.'  
  
Face nodded. 'Yeah I thought you'd say that somehow.'  
  
'Colonel I can fly in if Face can get me a chopper, there's a landing pad right here.' He tapped the blueprints.  
  
'You need a pass to get access from the roof.' Face told him and BA growled slightly. 'Besides.with BA's special circumstances.'  
  
Murdock chewed his cheek broodingly. 'Well if you can't get a pass how are supposed to get in?'  
  
'Easy.' Face smiled widely and Murdock felt a burst of hope at his friend's confidence. Face had something up his sleeve. 'I can't get a pass but that doesn't stop me from uh.borrowing someone else's.'  
  
Hannibal smiled; he liked that idea. 'And I'm sure with a little back-up I'll have no problem persuading them to let me in.' Here Face looked pointedly at BA who nodded his affirmative, he liked that plan a whole lot better than he did one that included flying. 'Getting into Jerome's suite is another matter.we have no idea where he's got Katie stashed away and he's not going to make it easy for us. Murdock you saw how prepared he was when we met him.'  
  
Murdock nodded. 'Grenades and everything.' He reminded himself to have a talk with Katie when he got her back.tell her to be more careful in future. She was always getting kidnapped at gunpoint it seemed. The thought didn't cheer him up; first he had to get Katie back.  
  
Suddenly Hannibal's eyes lit up. Murdock knew that look, Face knew that look and BA certainly knew that look. It meant one thing; Hannibal was on the Jazz and that meant that he had a plan.  
  
*** Face and Murdock dragged the unconscious man into the bushes and tied him up. It would be a few minutes at least before he woke and even more before he was found or could get free.  
  
Face pocketed the pass and smiled. 'I never thought he'd be so generous.'  
  
Murdock smiled grimly, he was concentrating on the task at hand but he knew he should think up something crazy to say. Right now though he could only think of Katie. Murdock followed Face to where BA and Hannibal were waiting. They were posing as window cleaners.they'd break into the window in the corridor adjacent to Jerome's suite.Murdock had already wormed it out of the unconscious man where he was keeping Katie. The rest should be easy, should be.  
  
BA placed the tiny glasscutter onto the window and cut a perfect circle. Then he removed the circle effortlessly leaving a round hole. He stepped aside and Face put his hand in and released the catch on the window. It swung open and the conman grinned. 'Piece of cake.'  
  
Anyone in the street who happened to look up would have seen a strange sight. They would have seen four men who appeared to be window cleaners climb into a window nearly 6 storeys up.  
  
*** Katie lay on her belly, face buried in the pillow. Jerome had long since left her and the tears on her cheeks had finally dried. She couldn't work up the energy to dress or even to move. Every part of her hurt, she was starting to give up on being rescued.  
  
The door opened behind her but she didn't bother to look round. 'Haven't you had enough?' She asked trying to keep the shake out of her voice. 'Just leave me alone.'  
  
'Sorry baby, I can't do that.' Murdock's voice was low and husky from unshed tears. Relief flooded her and she sat up suddenly conscious of how she must look to him. She pulled the sheets up to her chest. He was there in an instant pulling her to him and crushing her against his chest. 'I'm sorry, I should have thought, this is all my fault.'  
  
He let her go long enough to take in her appearance, noticing the fresh bruising on her cheek; he'd already seen the red welts on her back and thighs. Anger coursed through him, who did Jerome think he was to do this to her? Fury nearly choked him but he checked it and looked around for her clothes. He badly wanted to ask her what Jerome had done to her, although he could guess, but for now he had to get her out of here and to safety.  
  
She took hold of his wrist and looked up at him. 'Thank you.' She whispered and that nearly did it. He swallowed back the tears building behind his eyes; he'd come so close to losing her. If Jerome had decided to just take her out of the country then she would have been gone and he might never have found her again.  
  
'Well it appears that the bird wants to flee the nest, I thought we talked about this Katherine.' Jerome was standing in the doorway and Katie paused, mid-way through dressing.  
  
Murdock needed only one look to see that this guy was doped up the eyeballs. The way he so carelessly called her Katherine made him feel irrationally angry. 'Why do I think you were the only doing the talking pal?' Murdock spat. 'And why do I think that your idea of talking is a hellava lot different to mine?'  
  
Jerome took a step further into the room and Murdock put an arm around Katie's shoulders. She was fully dressed now and ready to do whatever it would take to get out.  
  
'I suggest you remove your hand from my fiancée.'  
  
Murdock grinned and Katie felt afraid. She'd seen that look before right before he'd nearly died. 'No.I don't think so, she's not your fiancée anymore and she's not doing anything you tell her to do.'  
  
'I see.' Jerome's laugh was malicious. 'Perhaps it was just as well for her that I didn't realise earlier that she'd been in someone else's bed. It might have made things worse for her.'  
  
Katie could feel how tense Murdock was, she looked from Jerome to the man she loved and wondered how they were going to get out of this without a fight.  
  
'You're lucky that I have enough respect not to kill you in her presence or you'd be severely lacking a head right now.pal.' Again he all but spat the last word out.  
  
'I don't think so Mr Murdock, I really don't think I have to be afraid of someone who lives in a mental institution. Really, Katherine, I thought you'd have some taste, this man can't even eat on his own.'  
  
This time it was Katie who tensed. 'Be careful what you say Jerome, I won't stop him if he loses his temper.'  
  
Jerome laughed but the laugh was cut off as he was shoved into the room. BA walked into the room and pulled Jerome up by his hair. 'Hey little mama.' He said to Katie. 'Get her outta here fool.' He told Murdock, turning his eyes back to Jerome.  
  
Murdock didn't hesitate; he grabbed Katie's hand and pulled her through the door.  
  
*** Outside the sun was sinking behind Chicago's horizon and the stars were beginning to come out. In a hotel room Murdock lay staring down at the woman who was his lover. Her hair was spread across the pillow as she slept peacefully, her chest rising and falling steadily.  
  
Their lovemaking had been slow and gentle this time, he'd held her as if he'd thought she would break. This time he'd told her loved her and she'd smiled and said she'd known that already anyway.  
  
He kissed her forehead and wrapped his arms around her, preparing to go to sleep. Everything was right again, Jerome was behind bars where he belonged and he wouldn't be hurting her again. The guys had gone back to LA and he and Katie would be flying back tomorrow together.  
  
As he drifted off to sleep he couldn't help but wonder what the future would hold for them. 


	6. Chapter Five

CHAPTER FIVE  
  
Three Months Later  
  
Murdock opened his eyes and yawned. Daylight was coming in through the window and he squinted as he tried to read the numbers on the clock. It was 7.30, rolling over; his arm hit the empty bed. Katie was nowhere in sight.  
  
Stretching he called her name, she appeared in the door to the bathroom looking harried. 'Yes?'  
  
'Just wondered where you were. Come on back to bed babe.'  
  
She shook her head and crossed to the closet. 'I'm late for work Murdock.'  
  
'C'mon Muchacha. You've got a few minutes yet.' He reached out his hand to her. With a reluctant sigh she went to join him. He put his arms around her and nuzzled at her neck.  
  
'I might have a few minutes spare but not long enough for that.' She chided gently as she rested her head on his shoulder. 'Besides, I thought you'd have had enough of that after last night.'  
  
His brown eyes gleamed wildly. 'I can never get enough of you. Any messages for Billy?'  
  
She smiled. 'Just the one. Take care of you and tell him to make sure you don't get into trouble and keep you away from the nice female nurses.'  
  
'That's three but I'll tell him anyway.'  
  
'I gotta get dressed now Murdock.' She sat up.  
  
'Oh but that robe looks so becoming on you. I'm sure it'll be a new fashion.' He grinned wolfishly and pulled her back to give her a kiss.  
  
It was a few minutes before they parted again. With a frustrated groan she removed his arms from around her waist. 'I really am gonna be late now.'  
  
'Just tell 'em it was your rampant crazy boyfriend.'  
  
She laughed and went to get dressed.he watched her move about the room and wished he didn't have to go back to the VA. She kissed his forehead. 'Don't be here when I get back.'  
  
He nodded; it was habit now for him to be gone before she was back from work. The first time they'd parted had been so difficult that they couldn't do it again. She never went with him when he went back to the VA and they never said goodbye either. Their goodbyes were always unspoken and in the morning she would leave for work and he would be gone before she got back.  
  
'Ok, see you later honey.'  
  
'Yeah, see you later.' He forced himself to let her go and not pull her back into bed with him. It would be so easy but he had to go back to the VA today and she had to go to work.  
  
He got up and padded to the small bathroom. He had never sold the apartment where he'd lived when he'd returned to LA after pretending to be dead. It hadn't worked out though, he'd needed to go back to the VA; he wasn't ready to live permanently in the outside world. Instead he'd given the apartment to Katie putting the deeds in her name. She hadn't wanted to live with her mother again after he'd rescued her from Jerome. She needed her independence and the apartment was close enough to her mother's house that she could see her whenever she wished.  
  
Blearily he reached for the razor and it slipped from his fingers and into the wastepaper bin by the side of the sink. He said something unfavourable in Vietnamese and upended the contents of the bin on the floor.  
  
As he gingerly sifted through rubbish his hands closed on something he had not expected to see. Whilst he wasn't in a position to ever have needed to use the object he now held, he did know what it was. It was a pregnancy test.  
  
The sound of his breathing was loud in his own ears as he stood staring at the long slim object in his hand. His hand began to tremble.shakily he searched for the box; there it was half-hidden under some lipstick marked tissues. He scanned the instructions and then looked back at the test, and then he looked back at the box and at the test again to make sure he was reading it right.  
  
He hadn't misread it.the object in his hand was telling him that Katie was pregnant.  
  
*** Murdock didn't go back to the VA; instead he spent the morning and afternoon walking round the shops with a grin on his face. Everywhere he went he seemed to see children, babies and pregnant women. He went to the bank and checked how much money he had in there and was pleased to see it was a lot more than he'd thought it would be. Face had clearly been putting money in there on a regular basis.  
  
He sat down for a coffee and read the newspaper looking for a new apartment. With a baby on the way, they'd need more room. As he sipped his coffee he wondered idly if it would be a boy or a girl, he didn't really mind but he found himself hoping it would be a girl. A daughter to look like Katie. The smile on his face grew.  
  
He went to the grocery store and bought food to cook her favourite meal and an extra large tub of her favourite ice cream.  
  
*** The first thing that Katie noticed when she entered the apartment was the smell of cooking. In surprise she shut the front door and looked around.  
  
The table was set with candles, the lights were down low and soft music was playing. 'Murdock?' She called. He came out of the kitchen almost immediately smiling brightly.  
  
'Hey baby.' He pulled her into his arms and kissed her deeply.  
  
She pushed him back. 'Whoa, hang on a minute. I thought you had to go back to the VA today.'  
  
'I did.' His fingers stroked her hair lovingly. And his smile widened. 'But.I decided to stay and cook you a meal.' His hand reached into his pocket and he pulled out the pregnancy test. 'I'm figuring we have something to celebrate.'  
  
She took the test from him in silence staring at it for the longest moment before raising her eyes to his. But the look on her face was not what she had suspected. 'You've been carrying this around all day?'  
  
'Yeah.' He nodded his confirmation wondering what was the matter. A sense of unease was settling upon him.  
  
'Murdock.you, uh, you realise I had to pee on this don't you?' She said handing it back to him.  
  
He paused and then threw it over his shoulder. 'Yeah.sure I did.' He grinned lopsidedly and she smiled but he noticed it didn't quite reach her eyes. 'When were you going to tell me?'  
  
'Murdock I'm not pregnant.'  
  
He felt numb; it had never occurred to him that the test could be wrong. 'But the test said.'  
  
'I know what it said but I went to the doctors to make sure. He confirmed it, I'm not pregnant.'  
  
Murdock swallowed. 'Oh.' He pulled her close. 'It doesn't matter; we can try again. It'll happen at some point.' He felt her tense and was afraid.  
  
'Murdock.that's what I want to tell you, there isn't going to be a next time.' She looked up at him. 'I want to break up.'  
  
She said the words so quietly, so calmly. Four words, so simple and yet so devastating. 'What?' He thought he'd misheard.  
  
'I don't think it's going to work; I want to break up. I'm ending it.' 'No Katie.' She had removed herself from his arms and he reached for her but she moved back, away from him.  
  
'I'm sorry.'  
  
'You're sorry? Last night we made love, you said 'I love you' and this morning you want to break up with me!' His voice rose and he tried to keep calm. 'And you just expect me to accept that?'  
  
She didn't look at him and he grabbed her arm, turning her to face him. 'Look at me!' It was the first time in months that he'd raised his voice to her. His hand gripped her arm almost painfully.  
  
She looked at him slowly. 'I don't love you anymore.'  
  
'No.I'm not buying that.' He shook his head vigorously.  
  
'Come on Murdock.it was never more than a fling, we both know that. A quick fuck in the back bedroom of a Chicago apartment. We just tried to pretend that it could be more.'  
  
Now he pushed her against the wall, anger boiling to the surface. 'Don't you ever call what we have that again!' He must have realised that he'd hurt her this time because he let her go and backed off. 'I asked you if that was all it was to you and you said no. You said you loved me.'  
  
'I'd just come out of an abusive relationship, you were.nice, it was safe. Now I need something more.'  
  
There was a bitter taste in his mouth and he could feel bile rising in his throat. 'More? You want more than love?' He was starting to lose control of his emotions but there was nothing he could do about it. That she could so callously turn around and tell him that she had no feelings for him made him feel as if he was dying inside.  
  
'I think you should go Murdock. I'll pack up your stuff, you can come by tomorrow and pick it up. I'm sorry.' That said she disappeared into the bedroom.  
  
There was nothing else he could do; his head was spinning so hard that he could barely think. He turned and left the apartment, venturing out into the rain soaked evening.  
  
He remembered pretending that he wanted nothing to do with her when he'd been trying to save her life back when Carl had kidnapped her. He knew now how she'd felt. He'd pretended that she meant nothing to him and she had.he broke the thought off abruptly as another occurred to him.  
  
He'd pretended. He saw in his mind's eye her face as she said she didn't love him, as she said she wasn't pregnant. She had been lying, he'd been too stunned to notice it at the time but now he saw the way her eyes had shifted, lost focus. The way she'd brushed him off and the slight hitch of her shoulders as she'd turned away. If he thought now, he would swear that she had been on the verge of tears.  
  
He stopped his aimless wandering and broke into a run; heading for the one person he knew could help him get to the truth.  
  
*** Face was preparing for an evening out. For once he didn't have a date planned and was looking forward to going out by himself and surveying what calibre of woman he might decide to pick up tonight.  
  
The knock on the door came to a surprise to him, not many people knew where he was because he'd just moved into the apartment. Hannibal hadn't phoned to say that they were needed on a mission. With care he crossed to the door and looked through the peephole.  
  
One look showed him all he needed to know and he opened the door to a bedraggled and feverish Murdock.  
  
'Murdock?'  
  
His friend didn't look up immediately, he was muttering to himself. It took Face two tries to get the pilot to answer him.  
  
'She broke up with me. I found it in the bathroom, she said it was wrong but I know she was lying, she loves me, I know she does.'  
  
'Murdock? What are you talking about? Look just calm down; let's get you inside where you'll be warm and dry, you can tell me exactly what happened.'  
  
The pilot walked past him and began to pace the living room dripping water everywhere. Face looked at his friend's face and saw beneath the surface something that was deeper then just nonsensical babbling. His friend was very much distressed. He clearly wasn't going to be going anywhere tonight, finding a date was going to have to wait too but he didn't really mind, he was too worried about Murdock right now.  
  
Face helped Murdock inside and helped him take off his rain-drenched coat and hat. 'Now go warm up by the fire. I'll get you a drink and you can explain this whole thing.'  
  
As Murdock dried out, Face made him a cup of hot chocolate; handing it to him he sat across from his friend. 'So what brings you out here on a night like this? What's going on?'  
  
'Katie.she.she broke up with me Face, but I don't think she wants to and I found a pregnancy test, it was positive but she said she's not pregnant and she's lying, I know she's lying. You have to help me.' All of this came out in one huge babble.  
  
Face held up his hand. 'Just slow down. Start from the top and take it slow.'  
  
Murdock took a breath and told his story, Face sat in stunned silence. He and the rest of the team had found out about Murdock's relationship with Katie only recently. It had come as a shock but after seeing how the couple were together Face had slowly started to realise that maybe there was something more there than he knew.  
  
He was stunned to learn that Katie was breaking up with Murdock; he knew how she felt about him. 'Are you sure you read the test right.'  
  
'Of course I read it right!' Murdock's voice rose an octave and Face nodded hurriedly.  
  
'Well what do you want me to?'  
  
'I need you to break into the doctor's office for me. He'll have the results filed.I have to know Face. She wasn't giving me the whole truth; I saw it in her eyes. She doesn't want to break up with me, I know it.'  
  
Face thought for a moment and then nodded. 'Ok, I'll help.'  
  
*** Face picked the lock on the office door and motioned Murdock inside. The pilot paced the floor of the office babbling to himself as he did so. Face opened the filing cabinet and flipped through the files, it didn't take him long to find the one marked Anderson, Katherine. Pulling it out he opened it.  
  
The report lay right on the top just waiting for him to pick it up and read it. 'Well?' Murdock asked impatiently. 'What's it say?'  
  
'Give me a chance to read it would you.'  
  
Face scanned the report, Katie had indeed visited the doctor for a pregnancy test, about that she had not been lying. Face read further down the page and then paused, his eyes fixed on one single word. A word that would change his friend's life forever. He knew that he could lie to Murdock now, save him the suffering, he would get over Katie but would he ever get over the knowledge that Face now held?  
  
'Murdock.' Face said; he only needed an instant to make a decision. Murdock was his best friend and he couldn't keep this from him.  
  
'Yeah?' Murdock's voice was raw with hope.  
  
'Congratulations, you're going to be a father.'  
  
There was a pause as Murdock digested this information and then the biggest grin nearly split his face in half. He threw back his head in one long howl of elation. He threw himself at Face hugging the life out of him; getting carried away he kissed his friend on both cheeks and grabbed the piece of paper from him.  
  
Another howl erupted from him as he saw that Face was not messing with him. Face frantically tried to calm him down but Murdock was too overjoyed to listen to him. 'I gotta go man; I gotta go tell her that I know.' With a whoop of happiness he ran from the room and threw open the door. The moment he did so every alarm in the building began to ring.  
  
Face groaned and Murdock stopped and turned to look at his friend with an expression of guilt on his face. 'Ooops.'  
  
'Just go.' Face instructed him and Murdock did, nearly skipping down the hallways.  
  
*** Murdock ran; he ran harder than he ever had in his life. His only thoughts were with her, he needed to see her, to hold her and tell her everything was all right.  
  
He fumbled for the key to the apartment and thrust it into the lock, it turned easily and then he was through the door and in the apartment.  
  
The silence was like a smack in the face, all was in darkness and it was cold. No one had been here for several hours. For a moment he stood there feeling the adrenalin draining away from him. He'd been so caught up in what he was going to say to her that he'd never thought that she might have left.  
  
He walked into the bedroom still clinging to the hope that she was sleeping but he knew she wasn't. He knew she had gone.  
  
As promised Katie had packed up his things, a bag sat on the bed full of his clothes and a box containing whatever small possessions he'd kept in the apartment. He noted that some of the gifts he'd given her were in the box too.  
  
Hesitantly he crossed to the closet and opened the door; most of her clothes were gone. He tried to think where she would have gone, who she would feel she could trust. Her mother? No, Karen would tell her to patch things up with him especially with a baby on the way. He ran through a list of her friends and then it clicked. Linda, the woman she'd worked with in the diner before he'd come back. Linda knew him and Katie trusted her.  
  
He set off at a run barrelling through the front door of the apartment pausing only to pull it shut behind him.  
  
***  
  
As he raced towards Linda's apartment it started to rain again. Large drops pounded into the pavement, soaking him through to the bone but he didn't care, his only concern was to get to Katie as quickly as he could.  
  
He knocked on the door, relieved to see from the warm glow of lights that someone was home. It was a long moment before Linda answered the door.  
  
'Where is she?' He didn't bother with pleasantries. 'I have to see her.'  
  
'I'm sorry Murdock, she's not here.'  
  
'Don't give me that!' He was fast losing patience. 'She is, I know she is.'  
  
Linda's face told him that he was indeed right; Katie was there. 'Please Linda, I need to see her.'  
  
'She.she's in no state to see you right now.'  
  
'She told you then, I know she's pregnant Linda.' He said it loud enough for Katie to hear him from wherever it was she was hiding. 'She tried to lie to me but I didn't believe her. Tell her that I've seen the doctor's records, I know that she's carrying my baby.'  
  
Linda's eyes were maddingly sympathetic and she laid a hand on his arm. 'She's not carrying your baby, not anymore.'  
  
His breath caught in his throat. 'What do you mean?' He croaked out. 'Did something happen to the baby? What's going on?' He tried to push through the door.  
  
Linda held her ground. 'I think you should go home Murdock, she's in no state for you to ask her a thousand questions.'  
  
'What's happened to my baby?' It was nearly a yell.  
  
'Katie had an abortion earlier today; I don't want her anymore upset than she already is. I'm sorry Murdock, I really am, the best thing you can do right now is to go home.' She shut the door and this time he didn't try to stop her.  
  
He felt numb to the bone, the rain continued to fall and somewhere far behind him he heard the rumble of thunder. He couldn't breathe, his child, the life they'd created, gone, murdered.  
  
He fell backwards, stumbling away from the apartment running again, he didn't know where. There was a sharp pain in his heart.their baby, their son or daughter, the symbol of all that they felt for each other, their love had created a person and now it had been ripped away from him.  
  
It was close to dawn when he wandered into the VA, tears mingling with the rain on his cheeks. He trudged down the halls past the startled orderlies who immediately called for the doctor. He walked into his room and stood there staring about him.  
  
As the first rays of sunlight pierced the clouds Murdock collapsed to the floor sobbing. 


	7. Chapter Six

CHAPTER SIX  
  
Murdock awoke on his bed sometime later, it was near noon and the room was very hot. His eyes were irritated and sore. There was a gaping wound inside of him that refused to close and every time he thought of his dead child it hurt a little more.  
  
He fumbled for the phone and called Face's number. It rang for a while and finally Face answered it with a harried hello. 'Faceman.' Murdock's voice was listless.  
  
'Murdock! You ok?'  
  
'She killed it.she killed my baby.' The tears started to flow again.  
  
'What?' Face was aghast, it was clear that his friend was very close to breaking point.  
  
'She had an abortion. She murdered my child. How could she do that Face? How could she just kill my baby like that?' He was sobbing now, feeling as if he was being torn into pieces.  
  
'Murdock.hang on, I'm coming over.'  
  
'Don't bother.' Murdock put down the phone and rocked back and forth for a little while, hugging his knees like a child. Over and over again that thought pounded through his brain. She murdered my child; she murdered my child. It rose to a crescendo inside him and finally he could bear it no longer, he stopped rocking. Ice-cold hate filled him up, he'd loved her, had given her everything and she'd repaid him with death.  
  
Getting up he picked up the phone; ripped the cord from the wall and threw it at the mirror. The mirror he'd thrust his hand through all those months ago, for her, because he loved her. He tore the room apart almost methodically, when the orderlies and the doctor came for him he responded as violently as he could. Hitting out at them in a way he never had before, he'd never been so out of control as he was now, not since he'd come here from 'Nam anyway.  
  
He was barely conscious by the time they put him in the straightjacket and he didn't know when the doctor injected a sedative into him. He was thoroughly sedated when they threw him into the padded restraint room and left him there.  
  
*** He awoke blinking, he didn't know how many days later. He sat upright with a jerk and Face put a calm hand on his shoulder. 'Take it easy.'  
  
Murdock rolled off the bed and threw up in the toilet nearby. His head hurt as if he had the world's worst hangover. 'What are you doing here?'  
  
'I got your phone call, I was worried but keep your voice down; they think that I'm your doctor.'  
  
'Won't last long.' Murdock said as Face helped him back to the bed, he could see the straightjacket lying on the floor.  
  
'Long enough. What do you remember?'  
  
Murdock shrugged. 'At the moment.nothing.'  
  
Face nodded and Murdock could see the sympathy and pity on his friend's handsome features. He didn't know if he wanted to know what he'd done to scare Face like this, to get thrown in here and drugged up to the eyeballs.  
  
'Maybe it's best if you don't right now. Just try to keep your head down and maybe they'll let you back out of here but you won't be going anywhere away from the VA for a while.'  
  
Murdock nodded. 'How are you guys fixed for a pilot?'  
  
'We'll get by, besides there's always commercial flights if we're really desperate, we'll manage. Just get yourself better.'  
  
Murdock nodded and closed his eyes. She killed my child, the voice whispered in his ear and he snapped his eyes open again. 'Katie was pregnant.'  
  
Face nodded but said nothing further. 'And she had an abortion; she.got rid of the baby.' Murdock continued sitting up now, running a hand through his hair. For the first time he noticed he wasn't wearing his baseball cap. Grief washed over him again but it wasn't as sharp as it had been before, he could breathe again and it was no longer like a knife being twisted in his heart.  
  
'Yeah.' Face suddenly seemed awkward and Murdock realised that he didn't know what to say, how to respond. 'Maybe.maybe it's for the best.'  
  
Anger flared. 'How can you say that?'  
  
Face looked away. 'It's just.if a child can't have two parents who love each other then maybe it's better if there is no child.'  
  
'Don't judge my relationship on the fact that you can't commit yourself.'  
  
Now Face turned to look at him. 'I'm not Murdock but if Katie didn't want the baby.a child should be loved, wanted.'  
  
'I wanted the baby! I could have looked after it, loved it.'  
  
'In here?' Face's voice was quiet and Murdock nearly didn't hear him.  
  
'Don't you mean 'why would they let a crazyman look after a baby?' Huh? Isn't that what you're saying? That I might hurt it, that I can't look after a child because I can't even look after myself.' He knew he was hurting Face but he couldn't stop himself. He was too badly wounded inside to even care about anyone else, not even himself.  
  
Face stood up. 'I'll come back when you're more rational.'  
  
'Yeah you do that!' Murdock hated himself but he didn't call after Face to apologise, as he would normally have done. He let his friend go without another word and just lay in his tiny cell staring up at the ceiling wondering what his child would have looked like.  
  
*** Several weeks later Richter decided he was fit enough to go back to his own room but on the strict understanding that at any sign of unreasonable behaviour he would end up back in the restraint room indefinitely.  
  
In all that time there had been no word from Face or any of the others. Murdock found that he didn't really care, he lay on his bed most of the time staring blankly into space leaving only to go for meals and therapy sessions.  
  
His phone was installed again but he had to ask permission before making any calls and he was closely monitored day and night. All the nurses agreed that Captain Murdock was now a shadow of his former self. The cheeky, energetic, crazy pilot was gone replaced instead with a man who seemed to just want to be left alone.  
  
The first leaves of Fall were starting to turn brown when the phone call came. August had given way to September and Murdock watched the staff and patients walk about in the gardens outside his window with a touch of envy. He wanted to be out there amongst the falling leaves; in years gone by he would have been, kicking them up like a kid. One time he'd even collected some and made a leaf sculpture of Billy for BA's birthday.  
  
The staff were less observant of him now and he had more freedom but he was still confined indoors although the doctors and orderlies seemed satisfied that he would no longer be at risk to himself or anyone else.  
  
The ringing phone cut into his thoughts and he reached over for it. 'Hello?' He didn't know who would be calling him but he couldn't help hoping that it would be Face. He badly wanted to mend things with his friend, he needed him right now; he needed all the team right now.  
  
'Mr Murdock.' The voice was familiar and Murdock felt cold, icy fingers walking his spine.  
  
'Yes?'  
  
'I believe you remember me.'  
  
It took Murdock a moment to remember but finally he did. 'Jerome Martinez.'  
  
'Good, I don't have to go to the trouble of refreshing your memory.'  
  
'What do you want you slimeball? Why are you wasting your phone card of the week on me?'  
  
Jerome laughed low and callously. 'Oh but Mr Murdock I am not using a phone card. I have no need of phone cards, not when I can pay a bill like any normal person on the street.'  
  
Murdock felt a sudden attack of fear. 'They let you out.'  
  
'Indeed they did. I'm much looking forward to meeting with you again. But first, to business. I'm with a mutual acquaintance but I must say she's not looking so well as she was when I left her. You've not been taking care of our dear Katherine as you should have been.'  
  
All the anger that Murdock had directed at Katie faded in one instant replaced with an irrefutable fear and all the love he'd felt for her came flooding back. 'Katie.' He whispered the word and knew that he shouldn't have done. Jerome might not have known before but he knew now that Murdock still loved her and that put Katie in danger.  
  
'Yes.rather pale at the moment though I'm not sure if that's from fear or illness.'  
  
'If you hurt her Jerome.'  
  
'Now why should I do that? I have never given her anything she hasn't wanted.'  
  
Murdock's hands clenched into fists. 'Perhaps you'd like to talk to her?' Jerome suggested, his tone mocking.  
  
There was a cry of pain and then Katie was talking to him for the first time in a month. 'Murdock! Don't listen to him, whatever he says, don't listen to.' He could hear the crack as Jerome gave her a slap across her face.  
  
His anger boiled. 'Now.' Jerome came back on the line.  
  
'Let me talk to her again. Until I talk to her, I have no intention of listening to what you've got to say or what you want me to do.'  
  
Jerome chuckled and Murdock was sure that the guy was high on something or other. He'd probably built up quite a stash in prison.  
  
Katie was crying softly when she came back onto the line. 'Oh baby.' He whispered. 'I love you.'  
  
Her sobs grew harder and he wished he could be there to beat Jerome to a bloody pulp for making her cry. 'I'm so sorry I ran out on ya but I'm not letting him hurt you, I'm coming, just hang on a little while. I'm not givin' up on ya this time no matter what you say.' His Texan accent thickened as he felt his own tears building. It no longer mattered to him that she'd gotten rid of their child, it only mattered that she was in trouble and he had to save her.  
  
'You said you wouldn't always be there; remember. Just stay away, please stay away.'  
  
'Where are you?' He ignored her protests, trying to think.  
  
'I remember when you told me you loved me for the first time. Remember? We were in the apartment and I was cooking dinner and you just looked me and you said...'  
  
'I love you Kate.' He finished for her and then he put the phone down. He knew where she was. He'd said he loved her in the hotel room in Chicago after Jerome had been put behind bars; that had been the first time. Not in the apartment, that had been a clue and he was steadily running out of time.  
  
He opened his door, he'd need to be quick before anyone spotted him; he darted down a hallway and ran down the stairs as quickly as he could. For the first time in a long while he could see Billy running ahead of him and he smiled.  
  
He pulled open the door at the ground floor and looked around. It was safe, instantly he started running again towards the door that lead to the grounds. Out in the fresh air he felt better for the first time in a month. He could hear shouts behind him as the orderlies caught sight of him, he doubled his speed; he needed to get to the wall before they cut him off.  
  
He vaulted over it and jumped down into the gravel driveway. His feet slipped on the stones but he carried on, nothing mattered at the moment, he could feel the Jazz working in his veins.  
  
When he was sure he'd lost them he ran to a phone box and pulled out some money. Dropping it into the slot he dialled a number. The motel put him through to BA's room and the big guy answered gruffly. 'Yeah?'  
  
Murdock couldn't suppress a smile. 'BA.it's Murdock. I need your help.'  
  
'What do you want fool?' BA did not seem happy to hear from him but then BA always sounded like that.  
  
'Jerome's out. Katie's in trouble, meet me at her apartment ASAP. He's got her there.'  
  
BA snarled at the mention of Jerome's name. 'I'll be there fool.' Then he put the phone down before Murdock could utter another word.  
  
*** Murdock reached the apartment and saw the van outside. BA got out and Murdock clapped him on his shoulder. 'Thanks man.'  
  
'Not doin' it for you fool, doin' it for Katie.' But BA did grin and Murdock thought that he was pleased to see him despite his protests.  
  
They ran up the stairs and BA broke open the door. All was quiet and Murdock was eerily reminded of the last time he'd been here.  
  
There was no sign of Jerome, Murdock pushed the bedroom door open carefully and stood stock-still in the doorway staring.  
  
Katie was lying on the bed, one hand stretched out towards him and clutched loosely in it he could see a pill bottle. On the floor, smashed into pieces, was a bottle of vodka.  
  
He could see that she was unconscious; then his motionlessness evaporated and he was at her side immediately. 'Katie!' There was panic in his voice. He'd never said he was sorry; he'd walked away from her, thought he'd hated her, and never tried to comfort her. He took her head in his hands, stroking her hair from her face, shaking her slightly.  
  
BA heard his anguished cry and was there in an instant. 'Katie.' Murdock was still trying to revive her but with no avail. BA took in the situation; saw the empty pill bottle, the smashed bottle of vodka on the floor.  
  
Murdock hauled Katie to her feet and dragged her into the bathroom. 'Murdock!' BA bellowed. 'What you doin'?'  
  
Murdock didn't answer; he held Katie over the toilet and rammed two fingers down her throat. She came awake as she started to heave, vomit spilled over Murdock's fingers but he didn't care. He only knew that he had to get the alcohol and drugs out of her as much as he could.  
  
BA looked away trying to close his ears against the sound of Katie retching. It brought back some painful memories of Vietnam, throwing up on the 'food' that the guards had given them in the camps. Food that was crawling with bugs and badly cooked, it was a miracle that they hadn't died of food poisoning. But then, some had.  
  
The smell of vomit hung thickly in the air but BA pushed away the nagging feeling to throw up his lunch and concentrated instead on Katie. Murdock thrust Katie at him and began washing his hands.  
  
'We need to get her to hospital.' Murdock told BA, a grim light in his brown eyes. BA nodded and picked Katie up. Murdock followed him and they got her into the van.  
  
*** She lapsed into unconsciousness as they neared the hospital and somehow Murdock managed to bring her round. He could feel memories pressing in on him. He sat with his back against the rear doors of the van, Katie cradled in his arms. He half-imagined that he could see a blood stain on the carpet before him. He'd nearly died here.  
  
BA swung the van into the parking lot and jumped out. Throwing open the doors he helped Murdock get Katie out but it was Murdock this time who took Katie in his arms and carried her inside. Another memory assaulted him as he did so, a recollection of holding her in his arms as she lay bleeding from a gunshot wound to the leg.  
  
The doctor's took her away and then there was nothing they could do but wait. Murdock called Karen and BA called Hannibal and Face. Now the five of them sat silently in the waiting room, Murdock with his head in his hands. Wondering if he would ever get to tell her that he was sorry and that he loved her.  
  
Face had acted as if the fight between them had never happened and Murdock saw open pity in his eyes. The two men had hugged briefly and Murdock knew that the fight was buried and forgotten.  
  
Finally the doctor came, he was younger than Murdock and he was calm as the pilot bombarded him with questions. 'I'm sorry sir; I can only speak to family.'  
  
'I'm her fiancée.' Murdock said without hesitation. Karen stood and laid a hand on Murdock's arm silencing him.  
  
'It's ok doctor. Whatever you can say to me you can say to him too.' With a slight frown the doctor ushered them into a nearby room.  
  
'Mother and baby are doing well, it was touch and go but she should deliver a healthy baby when the time comes.'  
  
Murdock felt his stomach drop. 'E-excuse me.'  
  
'You didn't know?'  
  
Murdock shook his head numbly. How had he not realised? How had he not thought that it had been a lie? His throat was achingly dry and he swallowed hard trying to work some moisture back into his mouth.  
  
'I see.' The doctor sighed. 'I would suggest that Katherine consult a doctor and that you keep regular checks on both her and the baby. I would also suggest that she speak with a counsellor. Do you have any idea why she would do this?'  
  
There was quiet and Karen shook her head. 'No.' She didn't mention to the doctor the problems between Murdock and Katie. And Murdock was grateful for that; he didn't want to have to go into it with a complete stranger. Even if this man had saved Katie's life.  
  
'Can I see her?'  
  
'Not yet maybe in a little while. I want to keep her here under close observation for the moment. She needs rest.'  
  
Murdock nodded; the room was staring to feel unbearably small. 'I.I'm going out for some air.' He rose to his feet and walked numbly outside.  
  
He sat in the van, his head whirling with unanswered questions. She was still carrying his baby, their baby. She'd nearly killed both herself and that baby.but no, Jerome, he must have done this.  
  
The ringing of the phone was sharp in the silence of the van. Murdock picked it up already knowing who it would be. 'Hello?'  
  
'Mr Murdock. I trust Katherine is doing well.'  
  
'You bastard.' Murdock's voice was controlled betraying none of the grief he felt. 'When I find you, I'll kill you.'  
  
He could almost see the smile on Jerome's face. 'I'm sure there will be no need for such behaviour.' Jerome spoke softly now, tauntingly. 'She begged me you know. Begged me not to harm her and the child within her. But in the end she had no choice, she took the chance that she and her baby might live over the certainty of death. She believed that you would save her even though we both know how much you hate her. You could say I've done you a service.'  
  
'I'll cut you into little pieces.' Oh when had he last felt this angry? When had he felt so much like a cold-blooded killer? An image flashed into his mind of Carl lying in the desert sand, a ring of bullets around him. Bullets that had come from Murdock's gun as he'd toyed with the man; wanting to kill him so bad it had hurt. But it had been Katie in the end that had killed Carl, he wondered who it would be who killed Jerome. He hoped it would be him; he wanted to make this man suffer for putting his child in danger, his child and the woman he loved. The two people that, next to the team, were the most important in the world to him.  
  
Jerome laughed coldly. 'I hardly think so. Come now.did you really want a child, a bastard child that didn't belong to you?'  
  
Murdock's blood ran cold. 'What?'  
  
Again Jerome laughed mockingly and cruelly. 'Oh really Captain, were you so naive to think that you were the only man she was sleeping with? That child is mine.to do with as I wish. And I chose to end it's life and the life of it's mother.' The line went dead before Murdock could reply. All this time so sure that it had been his child and then understanding hit him. Why Katie had lied, why she had first said she wasn't pregnant, then broken up with him, why she'd told Linda to tell him that she'd had an abortion, all of it to hide her fears that Jerome could be the father.  
  
Murdock got out of the van, he didn't care if the doctor wouldn't allow him in; he would see her with or without his consent. She had to know, she had to understand that it didn't matter to him that he might not be the father, he'd love the baby no matter who the parents, he would be the only father that child would ever know. If Jerome was the father then it was even more important that he helped Katie bring the baby up, Jerome must never be allowed near the baby. He'd nearly killed it; Murdock wasn't giving the guy a second chance to kill an innocent life.  
  
*** Murdock had no trouble getting into Katie's room, although she was under observation the doctor had obviously told the nurses on duty that Murdock was to be allowed in. He mentally thanked Karen, knowing that she must have been behind it somehow.  
  
Katie was asleep, wires attached to her to help feed her and the baby; he remembered again that time when she'd been shot and had looked like this. But now.now he knew that she would live, the question was, whether or not her baby would live.  
  
He put a tentative hand on her stomach knowing that a life lay underneath the skin his hand rested on. His eyes took in the slight curve of her belly, it had developed a definite swell he saw now, so too had her breasts grown larger. These things that he had noticed and enjoyed a month ago without ever realising what they meant.  
  
He'd been too concerned before, too worried about getting her to the hospital to notice but now he saw it clearly, she had the look of a pregnant woman and even though her face was pale and drawn there was a definite glow of pregnancy there too.  
  
He reached out and stroked her hair gently. It was thicker and glossier now, he wanted to bury his hair in it, take her to his bed and make love to her. He missed her so much that it hurt.  
  
She stirred at his touch and opened her eyes. She looked down to where his hand rested protectively on her stomach and he saw the tears forming. He kissed her forehead. 'I love you.' It was the only thing he said and then he waited to see how she would respond.  
  
'You know.' The whisper was barely audible over the click and beep of the machines at her bedside.  
  
'I know.'  
  
She closed her eyes and he caressed her cheek. 'I'm not leaving you Katie, I made that mistake once, and I won't make it again.'  
  
'It might not be yours you know that don't you?'  
  
'I know that and I don't care. I don't care if it is Jerome's I still want to be this baby's father, if you'll let me.'  
  
Tears slipped over her closed lids and down her cheeks. He kissed them all away tenderly, as always, in awe of how much he loved her.  
  
'I knew you'd come.' She smiled a wistful smile. 'My knight in shining armour from a mental institution.' She laughed and Murdock felt a painful tug at his heart as he remembered that argument, the argument that had led to their first kiss and further.  
  
'What happened? Will you tell me?'  
  
She opened her eyes and looked at him plainly. 'Will you kill him if I do?'  
  
'I want to but I'm guessing you'll be needing me around so.I think I'll take the option of freedom.' Unspoken words hung in the air.the fact that even if he didn't kill Jerome he still wouldn't be a free man. He would still be confined to the VA.  
  
'He held a gun to my head; somehow he knew I was pregnant, I don't know how. He said I had a choice, die quickly and swiftly or do what he said and risk the chance of being rescued. Either way my baby would die. But I knew you wouldn't let me down, I knew you wouldn't let us down.' Tears ran down her cheeks again. 'And now I've lost the baby or if I haven't yet, I will.'  
  
He stroked her hair gently feeling pity for her. She was so confused, no matter how much she might want this baby, it was still something she had not expected and did not know how to deal with. 'Kate-' He very rarely called her that, reserving the nickname for moments of great affection. '- the baby is alive. It's fine, they want to keep a regular check on you both but the doctor said you should carry to term with no problem.'  
  
She was speechless and he put his arms around her as she cried. When she eventually got herself under control he finally asked the question that had been preying on his mind. 'Why did you tell me you'd terminated the pregnancy?'  
  
She averted her eyes, choosing instead to stare at the machine that was monitoring her heartbeat and the heartbeat of her baby. He was sure then, she wasn't certain of the child's father. 'Katie?'  
  
'Because.it could be Jerome's.'  
  
He nodded and pressed her fingers to his lips. 'That's what I thought.'  
  
She looked at him in astonishment. 'But.'  
  
'Why did I stay knowing that I might not be the father?'  
  
She nodded and he smiled lopsidedly, that old crazy light thankfully coming back into his eyes. 'Cos I'm crazy and I'm not like everyone else, couldn't let this kid grow up sane now could I?'  
  
She laughed and he was pleased to see that she seemed less afraid than she had done before. 'I nearly went through with it.' She told him and he knew she meant the abortion. 'I nearly did but I got in there and I just couldn't do it.'  
  
He stroked her hair soothingly. 'It's ok and I don't care. Jerome might be the father of this baby but I'll be the only father he or she will ever need. Even if I am crazy and locked up in a mental institution.'  
  
'Thank you.' She whispered and he hugged her. With his face buried in her hair he didn't see the look of panic and uncertainty that crossed her face.  
  
*** He returned the next morning and found her room empty, upon questioning the staff he found out that she had discharged herself early that morning against the wishes of doctor. No one knew where she had gone and although he searched he didn't find her. She had vanished without a trace, taking with her a child that might just be his. 


	8. Chapter Seven

CHAPTER SEVEN  
  
Three years later  
  
*** Katie opened the door of the elevator at Level 2 and stepped inside the crowded waiting area of the Fort Owen Military Court. It was packed with press officers and witnesses, all wanting a place in history. The trial of three men who had been on the run for nearly 5 years; the trial of the A- Team.  
  
She didn't want to be seen and looked around fervently for the one person she least wanted to see right now, she knew he'd be here sooner or later. He would hardly miss the trial that would decide the fate of his closest friends, possibly his only friends.  
  
Like countless others she had been shocked to learn of the arrest of the A- Team but unlike many of those people she had not been pleased to hear the news, she had been devastated. They had been her father's friends; he would have had a fit if he had known what was happening now, that they were on trial for a crime they had not committed. But Tony Anderson was long since dead and the events that were unfolding were no concern of his.  
  
She was there to give evidence, although she had been only a child at the time of the team's initial arrest, she still might hold clues that could be vital to the case, her mother was here too somewhere. Behind her she heard a soft Texan accent and turned immediately. It wasn't him, she forced herself to calm down and stop being so jumpy. She needed to keep her cool for what was to lie ahead. She wasn't sure what was more nerve-racking, that she had to give evidence that might seal the fate of three men or that she would see him again after three years. Always three's she thought, it was three years since she had seen him, it was three men she was here to help and it had been three months that their relationship had lasted.  
  
This time it was him that she heard but thankfully he was engaged in a heated conversation with a tall young man with slicked back hair and a leather waistcoat. She took the opportunity to slip unnoticed into the courtroom and take a seat where she hoped she wouldn't be noticed.  
  
A sudden chill went down her spine and she looked up to see an older man enter the room. He wore yellow tinted sunglasses and she drew in her breath sharply. So, General Hunt Stockwell would be in attendance at the proceedings today. He gave her a curt nod and seated himself a few feet away from her.  
  
The next people to enter the room were the accused and Katie forced herself not to run and throw her arms around each of them. She had missed them and now she might not see them again. Her eyes flicked towards the door and she saw Murdock enter. Hastily she averted her eyes hoping he wouldn't see her, he had enough to worry about right now and besides, he would know she was here soon enough. *** The trial did not go well, halfway through BA snapped. He upended a table and the team grabbed the guns off of the MP's who tried to stop him. She saw Murdock get to his feet and knew from the look on his face that he badly wanted to help his friends but she knew as he did why that would be such a bad idea. Things were unpleasant enough right now without Murdock betraying himself as an accomplice to the Team's escape. As far as she was aware, no one knew that he had been working with them for the past 15 years or even that he had been more than their chopper pilot in 'Nam.  
  
She felt a prickle on the back of her neck; someone was watching her. She turned her head from where she'd been watching as the MP's dragged BA away and met Murdock's confused and astonished gaze.  
  
She didn't know whether to laugh or cry when they put him on the stand.he gave his evidence as crazily as ever and she knew that it was all an act. Hopefully, the rest of the court was convinced but she knew from the little gestures he made, the way his eyes looked down at certain moments how he was really feeling. Her heart ached, she wanted to hold him badly, she knew how horrible he must be feeling and she could do nothing to comfort him. In fact, she was about to make things worse for him.  
  
She was called as witness of the prosecution and she saw the looks of amazement on the features of Face and Hannibal as she walked to the table and took her seat. She laid her hand on the Bible and took the oath; she was barely able to stop herself from shaking. She answered the normal questions of who she was as calmly as she could though in truth she felt sick to her stomach.  
  
'Miss Anderson.' Major Laskow, the prosecutor, began. 'Your father served in Vietnam did he not?'  
  
'That's correct.'  
  
'How long did he serve for?'  
  
She could feel Murdock's eyes on her and suddenly she didn't want to be here. One wrong move and she could help condemn these men to their fates.  
  
'From 1968 until 1970, two years.'  
  
'And who did he serve with?'  
  
Katie cleared her throat sure that she wouldn't be able to get his name out. 'Captain Murdock.'  
  
Benny Conway, the defence attorney, rose to his feet. 'Objection your honour, I don't think we can credit a testimony from a witness who was only 8 or 9 years old at the time the alleged crimes took place.'  
  
Laskow clearly did not agree. 'Your honour.Miss Anderson may have been in contact with the accused since they escaped from Fort Bragg, I am merely trying to assess if she has any knowledge that would assist us in our investigations.'  
  
Judge Milowe looked thoughtful. 'Objection denied. You may carry on Major.'  
  
'Thank you your honour.' Laskow turned back to Katie. 'Tell me Miss Anderson why did your father stop his tour of duty?'  
  
'He was killed in action sir.'  
  
'I'm sorry to hear it.' Laskow did almost look sorry to hear the news but Katie didn't buy his pity, she knew what he wanted, a hard conviction. 'You said your father served with Captain Murdock.did he serve with any of the accused you see here?'  
  
'He was acquainted with them Major.'  
  
'I see, how well would you say he was acquainted with them?'  
  
Katie shifted in her seat aware of the fact that all eyes were on her. 'Quite well Major, the Captain was his best friend but.'  
  
Laskow didn't let her finish. 'And did you ever meet them?'  
  
'Yes, a couple of times. They visited the house once or twice with the Captain and they were at my father's funeral.'  
  
'And what were your thoughts of them?'  
  
'Well Major, I was only six years old but.' Here she smiled. 'They were nice and they were friends of Murdock's so.'  
  
'So you felt you could trust them. Have you had any contact with them since you saw them at your father's funeral Miss Anderson?'  
  
Katie hesitated and said nothing. 'Miss Anderson?' Laskow pressed. 'Miss Anderson, I would remind you that you are under oath here. Have you or have you not had any contact with the accused since your father's funeral?'  
  
'Yes.'  
  
'And when was this?'  
  
She felt herself growing hot, her palms were sweaty, she darted a look over at Murdock. His eyes were strangely sympathetic; he nodded for her to continue. Calmer now she took a deep breath. 'I contacted them four years ago.'  
  
'And why was that?'  
  
'My mother was missing, I feared for her life. I needed help.'  
  
'You needed help? Miss Anderson, I could be wrong here but.I'm fairly sure that it is still the policy of the police to investigate into any persons reported missing.'  
  
Katie blushed. 'I.'  
  
'Why exactly did you contact the A-Team Miss Anderson? Was it to help rescue your mother as you claim or was there some other motive? Perhaps you wanted to collect yourself a hefty reward.'  
  
'No! That wasn't it at all.Mom was in danger, the police couldn't help me. I'd heard of their reputation.'  
  
'Their reputation? What reputation was this? For destroying public property, for escaping from Military Stockades or their reputation of violence and theft? Things I've heard that Sergeant Baracus and Lieutenant Peck have quite a knack for.'  
  
Katie couldn't breathe and finally Benny Conway came to her rescue. 'Objection your honour.the prosecution is badgering the witness and making uncalled for assumptions about the accused.'  
  
'Objection sustained. Major I would suggest that you take a different approach in your questioning and kindly remember that a verdict has not yet been given on whether or not the accused are guilty of their crimes.'  
  
Laskow nodded and stared hard at Katie who was fighting back tears. 'No further questions your honour.' He took his seat.  
  
Conway rose to his feet now and approached her. 'Miss Anderson.did the A- Team help you rescue your mother?'  
  
'Yes they did.'  
  
'Was that the only time you had contact with them?'  
  
Katie wondered suddenly where this was leading too. 'No.no I saw them again three years ago.'  
  
'And why was that?' He looked down at her with kind eyes.  
  
'I was in trouble with my then fiancée, he was.a drug smuggler and he wasn't averse to using physical violence if I angered him. They helped me get away.'  
  
Conway nodded. 'So you would you say that the A-Team helped society rather than hindering it in putting away your fiancée?'  
  
Laskow rose. 'Objection your honour. The defence is putting words in the witness's mouth.'  
  
The judge nodded. 'Objection sustained. Rephrase your question counsellor.'  
  
'Miss Anderson.in your opinion, would the actions of the A-Team be construed as inappropriate.'  
  
An image flickered through Katie's mind of BA's face before Murdock had dragged her away from Jerome. She managed to find her voice enough to answer the question. 'Mr Conway, in my honest opinion they did what was necessary and we can be safe in the knowledge that one more drug dealer is safe behind bars where he can no longer harm society. So yes, they helped society.'  
  
'No further questions your honour.'  
  
Judge Milowe looked at Katie. 'Miss Anderson you may step down.'  
  
Katie nearly collapsed as she stood up and walked back to her seat. A moment later someone sat down in the seat next to her and took her hand and squeezed it hard. Murdock didn't say anything just stayed there holding her hand until the court took a recess for lunch.  
  
***  
  
Katie met her mother outside the court.Karen was pale and drawn. After a brief hug they walked away deep in conversation.  
  
Murdock watched them go with a thoughtful expression on his face. This was the last place he'd expected to see her, maybe he should have realised that she would be here but he hadn't and he could only feel grateful that she'd come to offer the guys support at a time when they needed it the most.  
  
Something bumped into the back of his legs and he turned in surprise. A small girl looked up at him, her face dirty and her clothes dusty. 'Hey there.' He crouched down with a smile. 'What are you doing all on your own? Where's your mom?'  
  
The girl's face broke into a grin that was utterly infectious. Murdock returned it in kind. 'What's your name sweetheart?'  
  
'Megan.'  
  
'And how old are you?'  
  
'Three.' This Murdock found hard to believe, she looked far more intelligent than the average three year old. Her soulful brown eyes regarded him with interest. 'Who are you?'  
  
'My name's HM.' He held out a hand for her to shake. She did so.  
  
'How old are you?'  
  
He laughed, feeling the tension of the last few hours starting to slip away from him like a bad dream. 'Older than three. So, why aren't you with your mom?'  
  
'She had to go somewhere, she left me with this lady but the lady was boring so I ran away to find some fun.'  
  
'And did you find it?'  
  
Megan shook her head. 'No, some soldier men chased me; they wanted me to go back to Boring Lady.'  
  
'And you didn't want to go?'  
  
Megan nodded; Murdock scooped her up. 'Well you can't stay around here honey, there's big trucks and things you could get hurt. Best we find your mommy.'  
  
She pouted and he tweaked her nose slightly making her giggle. Something about her intrigued him.almost reminded him of something or someone.  
  
A woman in a Lieutenant's uniform came running up looking harried. 'Megan! There you are. Thank you so much for finding her, I was getting really worried.'  
  
'Ahh it was no problem.' Murdock handed a shamefaced Megan back to the woman who was clearly Boring Lady. 'See ya Megan.'  
  
'See ya HM.' She waved and turned back to the lieutenant. 'I was ok, HM took care of me.' She smiled sweetly and the lieutenant turned away.  
  
There was a tug on Murdock's arm. It was Frankie. Frankie started to gabber at him at top speed and distracted, Murdock didn't see the lieutenant deposit Megan with her mother.  
  
Katie took her daughter with a sigh of relief. 'Oh Megan Marie Anderson.are you ever going to behave?'  
  
With a smile identical to HM Murdock's and eyes just as deep a shade of brown, Megan shook her head. 


	9. Chapter Eight

CHAPTER EIGHT  
  
The next day Karen gave her evidence.Katie was present in the courtroom but Murdock wasn't there. He'd left the courtroom on hearing that there was a witness who could possibly clear the team's names.  
  
Laskow got to his feet and Katie wondered if her mother was in for the kind of grilling that she'd received.  
  
'Mrs Anderson.your husband was well acquainted with the accused, is that correct?'  
  
'Yes, that's right.' Karen looked much calmer and far more composed than Katie had been. She felt herself starting to relax.  
  
'How did he know them?'  
  
Karen proceeded to tell the prosecution much of what Katie had already told the court. How Tony had known Murdock and through him the team but Katie felt something like fear run down her spine. Laskow seemed to have a different agenda today.  
  
'What was your impression of Captain Murdock?'  
  
Katie felt herself start with surprise. She had not been expecting that nor had her mother she realised. To her credit, Karen's expression never changed and she didn't show that this line of questioning was unexpected.  
  
Throughout the cross-examination Laskow again and again brought the line of questioning round to Karen's impression of Murdock as well of what she had thought of the team. By the time she'd finished giving evidence Katie's bad feeling was much worse.  
  
Her fears were confirmed after the court adjourned for lunch; Murdock still wasn't back and as Katie took her seat near to the guys she saw Laskow approach them. He made polite conversation and then he got to the point.Katie nearly couldn't breathe; he wanted them to give up Murdock, to say that he could have killed Morrison.  
  
Her head was spinning as the judge and jury took their seats once more and she heard Benny say that Murdock had found the witness.the witness that would help set the team free. This was it.a home run but.she saw Hannibal's lips move and understood. If they put this guy on the stand and he cleared their names that would leave the way free for Laskow to try and convict Murdock and there was no way that he would walk away a free man. He was as good as dead. Laskow would win the jury round; making them think that when Murdock had gone crazy he had killed Morrison and no-one would be able to prove otherwise.  
  
In the middle of all these confused thoughts, Hannibal got to his feet and addressed the court. He, Face and BA confessed to the murder of Colonel Morrison but she knew they hadn't done it. She knew they were innocent. Three for one.they'd just saved Murdock, giving up their own lives for his.  
  
***  
  
She stumbled out into blinding daylight.Karen grabbed her arm. 'Katie.'  
  
'They didn't do it! Laskow was going to try and make them think Murdock did it! They did it for him.they saved his life.' She was nearly hysterical.  
  
'Katie!' Her mother tried to pull her back but Katie was already making her way over to the building where the team were being housed when they weren't locked up below.  
  
The guards stopped her but finally she managed to convince them to speak to Benny. He came out and with a feeling of humiliation she pleaded with him. 'Please.I need to speak to them. Just a few minutes.please.'  
  
Benny noted the distressed look on her face and decided to let her in. He knew he wouldn't get anywhere with the team now.they'd made their minds up and he halfway knew why they were suddenly saying they'd murdered the Colonel.  
  
He let her in and left her with the guys. She stared at them for a long moment before she spoke. 'I know you didn't do it.'  
  
'What makes you so sure Kid?' Hannibal asked and Face nodded in agreement. BA said nothing.  
  
'Because.I believe what you said Hannibal.I believe that none of you would kill a human being in cold blood. As you said.that's what you do in a war to an enemy. I know why you gave yourselves up though.you're trying to save Murdock.' Her voice cracked.  
  
'Katie.' Face didn't know what to say.he just let the sentence hang in the air.  
  
'Thank you.' She whispered. 'You are all so stupid but thank you.'  
  
Hannibal raised an eyebrow. 'Stupid?'  
  
'That's what he'd say. He's only one and you're three and.'  
  
BA reached over and squeezed her shoulder. 'Little mama.'  
  
'No.you've just given up your lives for him and you know it.'  
  
'Can't see someone go down for somethin' they didn't do mama.' She smiled thinly at BA and nodded. 'I won't tell him.not unless I have to. If he asks me why you guys said you were guilty I won't lie to him, I won't let him think that you really did it. Not that he would anyway but.'  
  
'Just in case someone tries to make him think we did.'  
  
'Yeah.' She was about to say something else but there was a knock at the door. The door opened a crack and a guard motioned to Katie.  
  
'Ma'am.I'm sorry but she was pretty insistent.' Megan was standing beside the soldier.  
  
'Mommy.'  
  
'Megan.' With a sigh Katie picked her up. 'I thought I told you to stay with Clarice.'  
  
'She's boring.'  
  
'Ok.c'mon I want you to meet some people.' To the solider she said, 'Thank you, it's ok, she'll be fine in here with me.'  
  
The guard did not look happy about it.she didn't blame him; he probably thought she was a bad mother for letting her child meet three men on trial for murder.  
  
When Face saw Megan he suddenly found it very hard to breathe. He swallowed several times before he found his voice. 'Who.. who is this?' But he already knew.the eyes and the shape of her mouth when she smiled told him all he needed to know. From the looks on Hannibal and BA's faces it was evident that they also knew that this was Murdock's daughter.  
  
'This is Megan. Honey.this is BA, Face and Hannibal.'  
  
'Hi.' Megan beamed brightly at them and then stared at BA. 'Why are you wearing those Mister?' She pointed at the shackles, which bound his wrists and ankles.  
  
'Well.' He crouched down to her height as much as the chains would allow him.  
  
'Megan.don't be rude.'  
  
'It's ok Mama.' BA looked up at Katie with a smile, somehow she felt more comfortable with his reaction to Megan than she did about that of Face and Hannibal. Somehow, she sensed something that was almost anger directed towards her.  
  
'Is she.?' Face asked without finishing the question.  
  
'Yes.' Katie said. 'And no, he doesn't know.'  
  
Megan looked at all three men. 'Do you know my Daddy?' She asked in a quiet voice. Katie's heart nearly broke in two. Face was still staring at Megan; she knew he was listing in his head every single thing he could find that resembled Murdock in her face and manner.  
  
Hannibal was quiet and he stared thoughtfully at Megan.Katie was suddenly afraid that he would tell her who her father was. This wasn't the right time; she didn't even know why Megan had taken it into her head to ask about her father. It was so unlike her.she'd had no idea that it was a question that bothered her child.  
  
BA was talking to Megan in his usual gentle way.Face still seemed shell- shocked. Katie suddenly wondered if this had been a good idea but she wanted them to know, that he wouldn't be alone. He would have family now and she would make sure he was ok.  
  
Her eyes met Hannibal's and a moment passed between them. It was only a few seconds but in that passage of time something important happened. His eyes told her that he knew, he knew what she was thinking and he knew that Murdock would not be alone and somehow.she had just said goodbye to John 'Hannibal' Smith, notorious leader of the A-Team, soon to be put to death for a life he had not taken.  
  
***  
  
Katie walked back into the courtroom feeling subdued, Megan was safely in the care of Clarice or as she had dubbed her 'Boring Lady'. She took her seat and watched as the guys were filed in. They were hardly sat down for five minutes when Murdock burst in, at least she thought it was Murdock but he was clothed all in black and his face was covered in grime.  
  
Her heart suddenly turned over.he'd found Qui Et and it was all for nothing, she hated the desperate look she saw on his face, she wanted nothing more than to run to him and put her arms around him.  
  
He didn't look at her as he bargained for Qui Et to take the stand, the judge granted the request and Murdock went over to stand near the team. He shook their hands and stood, listening as Qui Et gave his evidence.  
  
The look on his face as the man began talking nearly ripped Katie in half, his angry shout as he realised that what Qui Et was saying was lies made her bury her head in her hands. Part of her wanted Qui Et to give evidence that would prove the team innocent but if he did that then she would lose Murdock.  
  
Oh Murdock, she thought. I'm so sorry and I'll tell you, when this is all over, I will tell you. But even as she thought it she knew she couldn't, for his sake and Megan's, she could never tell him.  
  
They filed out as the jury decided on the verdict; Katie didn't think it would be long. She sat on one of the hard, narrow chairs outside the courtroom and tried not to think about it.  
  
He sat down next to her. 'That wasn't what he told me.'  
  
'I know.' She whispered, she didn't add that she knew how devastated he was. Instead, she reached over and took Murdock's hand. 'However this works out, if there's anything I can do, anything at all, just say and I'll be there in an instant.'  
  
He looked very much like a scared little boy then and she pulled him to her. They sat there for a long moment just holding each other, both thinking and remembering that it had been three years since they'd been this close.  
  
'Thank you.' His voice was muffled as he buried his face in her hair. Breathing in the scent of her and trying not to think about how much he missed her. That could wait.  
  
A hand landed on his shoulder and he let go of Katie and turned. 'The jury have arrived at a verdict.' Benny's eyes looked sad and Murdock noticed that Katie's eyes held that same look. Something had happened. He saw a look pass between the two and with a feeling of stark premonition he knew that his efforts had been for nothing, there would be no salvation for his friends. There could be only one verdict.  
  
***  
  
The courtroom felt unnaturally cold as Katie sat down, Murdock took up his place beside Hannibal's shoulder and looking at the jury Katie knew what the verdict would be. She had known what it must be anyway but part of her had been hoping that somehow it would turn out right.  
  
The verdict was given and she could feel the agony and helplessness that washed over Murdock as those words were spoken. A prison sentence would have been bearable but a death sentence, she knew that was too much for him to take.  
  
He stood in stunned silence as the MP's took the guys away, she saw his helpless eyes meet Hannibal's and saw the colonel's expression; it was unnaturally calm. His eyes shifted to her and she knew that he telling her that she had better keep her promise. She nodded once and then Hannibal was gone and she knew it would be the last time she saw him.  
  
Then she was moving and her head was buried against Murdock's chest, hot tears streaming down her cheeks and he was holding her so tight he was nearly crushing the life out of her. They remained that way for a very long time until he was roughly pulled away from her by the orderlies from the VA, her fingers touched his briefly and then she was standing alone in the courtroom where 12 men and women had made the gravest mistake of their lives. 


	10. Chapter Nine

CHAPTER NINE  
  
Face sat bolt upright.that was the second time he'd had that dream. Last night and the night before. But today it was going to happen; today he was going to die. It was 6:30 am on Saturday morning.  
  
*** Katie rolled over and picked up the phone. It was 6:40 am.  
  
*** Murdock put the phone down and turned to Frankie. 'She's on her way. Is he ready?'  
  
Frankie nodded and Murdock took a deep breath. 'Ok, let's get this show on the road. Time to head for the apartment.'  
  
He and Frankie got into the car. In the back, Father Selini lay unconscious, sedated and with his hands tied.  
  
'Sorry Father, I really am, you have no idea how sorry.' Murdock told the lifeless form of the priest.  
  
It was 6:45 am.  
  
***  
  
Katie fitted the key into the lock of the apartment; it had been a long time since she'd been here. She opened the door and saw Murdock standing with his back to her.  
  
She couldn't move, in that moment an onrush of memories hit her, the good, the bad and the ugly all at once.  
  
Her eyes flicked to the door of the bedroom, in that bedroom she'd nearly died but in that bedroom she and Murdock had.she forced herself not to think about it. She couldn't think about any of this right now, she had more important things to do.  
  
'I'm sorry.' Those words came from Murdock who still had his back to her. 'I know it's hard for you being here.'  
  
An image flashed through her mind of Murdock holding her over the toilet and ramming his fingers down her throat to make her bring up the drugs and alcohol she'd consumed. Hard on the heels of that image was another of Jerome, then one of Murdock shoving her against the wall as she told him their relationship had meant virtually nothing to her.  
  
God, so much had happened here.too much. She could feel Jerome everywhere; a sudden irrational fear gripped her. When Murdock turned round it wouldn't be Murdock, it would be Jerome.  
  
Murdock turned and looked at her. He could see from the rise and fall of her chest that she was scared. He moved nearer to her and put a hand on her arm. 'It's ok.'  
  
'Sorry.' She whispered ashamed of the way she was acting. She pulled herself together.  
  
'It's ok; you don't have to be sorry; I'm the one who's sorry. I hate bringing you here but I don't really have any other choice. I need your help.'  
  
Katie nodded. 'What can I do?' As she spoke Frankie emerged from the bedroom and through the open door she saw the inert figure of a man lying on the bed. She pulled back from Murdock's reach. 'W.who is that?'  
  
'It's ok.it's alright.'  
  
'Answer the question Murdock, who is that?'  
  
'He's a priest; he's the one who's going to give the guy's their last rites.'  
  
Katie swallowed and nodded, moving closer to the bedroom. 'Why is he unconscious on our bed?' She didn't realise that she had said our and not mine or yours. Frankie raised an eyebrow upon hearing that but wisely he managed to keep his mouth shut.  
  
'I.I need him out of the way for a while. Katie.he's ok. I didn't hurt him.'  
  
'Yeah? Well that's quite a bump on his head there Murdock.' She tried not to get angry.  
  
He took a step closer to her, a kind of intensity about him now. 'I don't have time for this now Katherine. I need your help and I have to know if you're willing to give it to me. In just over an hour the guys are going in front of a firing squad to be executed and I cannot let that happen, I just can't.'  
  
She nodded and finally tore her eyes away from the figure of the priest lying bound and gagged on the bed. 'Ok.I'm listening.'  
  
'Before I tell you I need to know if you're willing to help. If you're not then I don't want you knowing what I'm going to do.'  
  
'I wouldn't be here if I wasn't willing and I have a pretty good idea of what you're going to do anyway.'  
  
Satisfied with that he continued. 'I need you to follow my instructions to the letter. At exactly 7:12 I need you to make a telephone call to Barrier Island; I'll give you the number. You're to tell them that you're the cleaning lady for The Church of St Michael's, tell them that you went back to the church for something and found Father Selini unconscious in the bathroom. Tell them you were worried because you knew he was due to be at Barrier Island to perform the last rites for some prisoners. Keep it short and say as little as possible, once you've done that go with Frankie and take the boat over to Barrier Island. Whatever you do, stay in the boat. Can you do that?'  
  
Katie thought of what would happen if she were caught.her daughter would lose her mother as well as the father she had never known. It was an agonising decision but at the same time she knew that she couldn't stand by and let three innocent men die.  
  
'I can do that.what about you?'  
  
'I'm going in there as Father Selini.'  
  
'I don't understand.'  
  
'They'll be on the look out for me, for anything to happen. They'll suspect something. But.if they thought they had the impostor then they wouldn't suspect anything.'  
  
Katie tried to make sense of this. 'So, what you're saying is that you're the diversion for Frankie to get in there undetected?'  
  
'That's it exactly.'  
  
'Why do you want me on the boat with Frankie? If you're so concerned for my safety why don't I just stay here?'  
  
'Because.' He didn't know what to say, in truth he didn't have a good reason for her being there. He just wanted her to be near.he needed someone he trusted, someone he could count on. Someone he knew Stockwell couldn't employ to mess things up. But how could he tell Katie that in front of Frankie?  
  
'Murdock.if something happens to Frankie or you, then I will do my best to help the guys.' She raised her chin and her face took on that stubborn look he remembered so well. 'Don't get me wrong, I don't want to be left behind, I'm with you every step of the way.' She couldn't tell him that she thought she shouldn't be here either; if they thought she was connected then she didn't want Megan to be around when that happened. She didn't want her daughter to have to see her mother arrested.  
  
His eyes held hers for a long moment and then he nodded. 'Ok. Now I have a boat to catch.' He disappeared into the bedroom to get dressed.  
  
He came out dressed in the priest's clothes. He wrote a number and a name on a piece of paper. 'Here you go. That's the number and the name of the guy who you have to speak to. Remember.7:12 exactly. No later and no earlier.'  
  
'I've got it Murdock.'  
  
He'd just turned towards the doorway when she spoke again. 'Good luck.' He turned back and looked at her long and hard. They both had tears in their eyes but he forced himself to turn away without going to her and putting his arms around her. If he did that then he'd never leave.  
  
He put a hand on Frankie's arm and applied a small amount of pressure. 'Take care of her.' He whispered. It was an order not a request.  
  
The time was 6:54 am.  
  
*** Stockwell left Barrier Island after his meeting with the A-Team. As he approached the boat, Murdock got off it and the two passed each other without a word spoken.  
  
It was 7:10 am and at that precise moment, Face was asking BA what he was going to have for his last meal, unaware that in the outside world three people were fervently working to help free them. The wheels were already in motion, the plan in action.  
  
***  
  
At 7:12 Katie placed the call from a call box near to the pier. She replaced the phone and looked at Frankie.  
  
'Let's do this.' She turned and walked towards the landing stage, Frankie following her. Butterflies fluttered in her stomach and she had to take a deep breath before she spoke to the guard. She felt very much as if she was going to be sick. She'd never had to do something that depended so much on whether people would live or die.  
  
*** It was 7:25 when they arrived and as instructed Katie stayed in the boat. So this was where the team would die. No, she couldn't think that, the plan would work. Frankie had explained it to her. There was nothing for her to do but wait and that was perhaps the worst of all. Finally she heard footsteps behind her and Murdock was sitting next to her.  
  
Neither said a word to each other but he did give her hand a quick squeeze. She felt very much like crying. Every part of her seemed to be alive with so much adrenaline that it hurt. She needed to do something instead of just sitting here wondering. But she knew however bad it was for her it would be ten times worse for Murdock.  
  
As Frankie approached, Katie moved so that she was sitting opposite to Murdock. A quick glance at her watch showed her that it was nearly 8 am. They'd be leading the guys out now. There was a sick feeling in her stomach, what if this didn't work? It had to work.  
  
Frankie took a seat next to Murdock. 'Did you make the switch ok?' Murdock asked.  
  
'What would sound better? I think or I hope?' Frankie answered and Katie had to swallow very hard at that point to stop herself from crying.  
  
The boat cast off and then they were out in the open sea. At 8 am precisely several shots rang out as one. Katie saw Murdock flinch, his mouth slightly open in shock and his hands balled into fists. At the sight of the despair and anguish that was in his eyes she buried her head in her hands and started to cry. She had never seen him look so lost, so scared, again the image of the frightened child rose in her mind. His eyes were what struck her most, usually so full of mischief; they were now so full of pain that she could hardly bear it. She had never seen him look like this and she never wanted to again. It was ripping her in half, he was hurting so much and she could do nothing to help. He could well have just lost the only three friends he had in the world.  
  
Frankie looked at her for a moment before getting up and touching her shoulder. She raised a tear-streaked face to look up at him. Frankie motioned for her to sit beside Murdock; with a grateful smile she did so.  
  
Murdock put an arm around her and she hid her head against his shoulder. His hand stroked her hair gently and though they said nothing, they each knew the pain the other was feeling.  
  
*** As Katie stepped off the boat Murdock took her hand as if it were the most natural thing in the world for him to do. She was glad for the distraction; her mind was so full of memories. All she could see was the guys as she first remembered them when they'd come home with her dad and Murdock and then again on the day of her father's funeral. The look in each of their eyes, not of pity but of genuine grief at losing a friend and for her and her mother, for losing such a wonderful man. Now she saw them as they had been when they had thought Murdock was dead.although they'd nearly fallen apart they'd each made sure that she was ok in their own way. She knew she would never again know three men such as those. But it might work.it had to work. For Murdock it had to work, he couldn't survive without them; she knew it even if he didn't. At the moment of the gunshots she had seen it in his eyes, a look of such sorrow and pain, and somewhere in there a hint that he no longer wanted to live. He had looked as if he wished that it were he who had been shot.  
  
Stockwell was standing at the landing stage waiting for them. Katie couldn't breathe. Murdock still had hold of her hand and together they approached him. Suddenly she wished she was far away from here, she didn't want to be anywhere near Stockwell right now. His very presence unnerved her but she couldn't pinpoint exactly why.  
  
Murdock stopped and looked at the general. 'I'll take it from here Mr Murdock.'  
  
Murdock nodded, Stockwell would ensure that the bodies of the team didn't meet with any unfortunate circumstances, and he'd also help get them medical attention as soon as the pills Frankie had given them had worn off. As much as he hated to admit it, Murdock knew that he needed Stockwell's help.  
  
Stockwell's gaze abruptly shifted to Katie. 'Miss Anderson, I'm surprised to see you here.' His tone was calm and his surprise sounded almost genuine.  
  
'And why would that be?' Katie asked coolly, Murdock's fingers tightened on her hand.  
  
'I wouldn't expect you to be rushing to the aid of three guilty men especially when you have a daughter to think about.'  
  
Katie could say nothing, Murdock might have lost his only friends if this didn't work and Stockwell had just shattered his world completely.  
  
When he spoke it was not what Katie had been expecting. 'They Didn't Do It.' Every word was perfectly formed, every letter precise, she could almost hear the capital letters. There was no trace of a Texan accent, for the first time she felt afraid of him.  
  
Then he looked at Katie. 'You didn't tell me you had a daughter.'  
  
Katie couldn't think of anything to say to that. Stockwell was just turning away but at Murdock's words he turned back and raised an eyebrow. 'I would have thought you would have known about your own child Mr Murdock.'  
  
The look on Murdock's face made Katie's anger flare. He looked like he had when Carl had stabbed him in the stomach it was that same look of stunned surprise; that sick look on his face as if his world had just ended. But then, it just had. She turned to say something sharp to Stockwell but thought better of it when she saw his face. He was doing this on purpose! He hated Murdock and he wanted to hurt him the worst way he could.  
  
'I will contact you shortly.be ready and ensure you're not followed.'  
  
Murdock didn't answer him and Katie could only nod and watch as Stockwell turned and walked away.  
  
'Daughter?' Murdock was stunned and Katie turned to look at him, swallowing nervously. 'What did he mean they were guilty? A-am I missing something here?'  
  
'Murdock.I didn't want to tell you but.'  
  
'Didn't want to tell me what?'  
  
She hesitated and then she was against the wall and he was staring furiously at her. 'Didn't want to tell me what?'  
  
She looked at the ground. 'They admitted to committing the murder of Morrison.'  
  
'No.they didn't do it.' The obstinate note in his voice surprised her and she knew she was seeing the very depth of his loyalty to the team. 'I know they didn't do it. Why would they say they were guilty?'  
  
'Laskow.he.he wanted them to say that you'd been acting in a questionable manner when Morrison was killed, try to shift the blame onto you. Of course Hannibal said no but when he realised that you'd found Qui Et, he knew that if Qui Et gave evidence stating the team was innocent then they'd go after you. And you'd have no hope of proving yourself innocent.'  
  
He stared at her numbly and then he shook his head, a slight edge of laughter in his tone as he spoke. 'Oh Hannibal.you're so stupid.'  
  
She smiled. 'That's what I said you'd say.'  
  
'I'm just one person.they're three. I can take care of myself.'  
  
She nodded and looked at the ground again. 'I wasn't going to tell you but.I didn't want you thinking that they'd actually done it. But they saved your life Murdock.they gave up their lives for yours.'  
  
He looked down at her. 'What about my daughter?'  
  
Her mouth had gone suddenly dry. 'What about her?'  
  
'So she is mine?'  
  
She pushed past him, trying to avoid the question. He reached out lightening quick and caught her arm, pushing her back against the wall. 'Is she mine?' This time she saw the anger and the hurt etched quite clearly across his features.  
  
She didn't look at him as she spoke, looking instead at the ground. 'Yes.she's more like you every day. Sometimes I look at her and I can see so much of you I can't even see how she looks like me anymore.'  
  
He shook his head angrily. 'How the hell could you not tell me about her? Huh? That's my child! My daughter.did you think I wouldn't want to know? I can't believe you'd keep me from my own child! What gives you the right to play God and decide whether or not I can be her father!'  
  
'I couldn't tell you.'  
  
He didn't let her finish. 'No! Not couldn't, wouldn't! You wouldn't tell me! I gave you everything Katie and you threw it back in my face. I gave myself to you heart, body and soul and you treated me like crap!' His eyes blazed with anger and betrayal.  
  
'Murdock.you don't understand.'  
  
'You're damn right about that! I don't understand! First you tell me there is no baby and then that you got rid of her, and finally you run out on me! If you didn't want me to be around or you wanted someone else why didn't you just say? Or do you just like putting people through hell and treating them as if they're a worthless piece of shit?'  
  
'Don't judge me over something you know nothing about!'  
  
'I know nothing about it because you pushed me away!' All the anger and pain he had felt over the last few days was coming out full-force now.  
  
'Yeah well you know the law Murdock.when a woman has an abortion the father doesn't have the right to know about it much less make a decision.'  
  
Next thing she knew his fist had met the wall. She was so shocked by the action that she couldn't respond or even move. He was staring at her, breathing hard and she saw that he was just as shocked as she was over what he'd done. She could see blood on his knuckles and on the wall. He was in pain, clearly, but he was ignoring it. He didn't show it, not once, how badly his hand was hurt.  
  
'Why?' He asked and this time there was raw pain in his words, a deep pain that she didn't want to know or feel. It was similar to that she had seen when they'd heard the gunshots go off. Once more she heard them in her mind.many as one. 'Please baby, please.just tell me why.'  
  
She looked up at him, still hearing in her mind the smack of his fist hitting the wall.so angry, would he, could he ever turn that anger on her? No, of course not, he wasn't Jerome; he'd never lay a hand on a woman in the wrong way. How could she give him the answer he so badly needed? Jerome had told her what would happen if she told him but.Stockwell had told Murdock that Megan was his.he already knew that meant Jerome couldn't do anything to Murdock. Couldn't he?  
  
Murdock looked at her face, wondering why she couldn't tell him. What could be so bad that she couldn't answer that one question? Why couldn't she trust him to look after her? To look after their daughter?  
  
An image flashed into Murdock's mind, Katie lying on their bed, one arm outstretched. Unconscious. She'd nearly died and that SOB had nearly killed her and then he remembered that look that would come into her eyes whenever Jerome's name was mentioned, like a deer caught in the headlights. The same look that was in her eyes now. Murdock frowned as understanding suddenly came. 'Jerome got to you didn't he?'  
  
She nodded slowly. 'H...he said if I told you, if I stayed with you, he'd kill you and he'd kill her.'  
  
The angry look in Murdock's eyes vanished and he pulled her close. 'Oh Katie, I could handle 1000 Jerome's for you and our daughter.'  
  
At that Katie started to cry, she buried her head against his chest. Letting the familiar smell of him wash over her.she'd missed him too much.  
  
She felt something wet drip onto her cheek and realised with a shock that Murdock was crying too. All the anguish and pain he'd gone through over the last few days, he'd built a wall against it. Now that wall was crumbling away and he could no longer keep the tears inside. The guys had died.it wouldn't work, he'd heard the gunshots, seen it in his mind. They were dead.how could he think the plan would work? It was too little too late; he hadn't managed to keep Katie, to keep his daughter, to help them. How could he think he could help the guys?  
  
The answer was a quiet whisper in his mind. 'Because they always survive, that's what they do.'  
  
Katie pulled back. 'Murdock we have to go. It's going to look pretty strange if people come along and see me holding a crying priest.'  
  
Murdock wiped at his eyes and didn't look at her for a long moment. 'Can I see her?' His eyes were fixed resolutely in the wall where there was an ugly smear of dried blood from where his fist had hit hard, cold stone and bled.  
  
Katie nodded and took his other hand. 'Yes.you can see her and we'll get your hand looked at too.'  
  
'It's fine.' But she knew how much it must be hurting. 'Not broken or anything.'  
  
They walked in silence to the car where Frankie was anxiously waiting for them, after Katie had given him her address and he'd gone to pick up the van, Murdock got in the car.  
  
The silence between them was less now, there, but comfortable. As if they'd exorcised all the ghosts that had been haunting them and Katie felt for the first time in years, somehow safe and unafraid, the only fear now was for Murdock and for the team. He was still angry and still hurt and she knew that but she also knew that he'd gotten a lot of that hurt and that anger out. He understood now what it was that had made her leave. 


	11. Chapter Ten

CHAPTER TEN  
  
Murdock got out of the car and walked towards the house. Katie was living with her mom again, all this time so close and yet so far. Automatically he reached for her hand and laced his fingers protectively through hers.  
  
He was surprised at the action, part of him, no matter how much he understood, was still angry with her that she hadn't come to him in spite of Jerome. But a bigger part of him still loved her, an even bigger part of him thought that she might be the last friend he had if the plan didn't work. She could be his only friend, he didn't trust Frankie the way he trusted Katie, not even her running from him had destroyed his trust in her. That was why he had wanted her in on the plan and that was why he had wanted her in the boat with him.  
  
He didn't know what to expect when Katie opened the door and they stepped inside. A wave of memories washed over him, all the familiar sights and smells of this house, a part of his past that he never thought he'd be visiting again.  
  
Karen looked up as they entered; she was just about to go into the kitchen, her arms full of washing. She stared at Katie and Murdock's linked hands and then someone was barrelling at them at top speed.  
  
Megan wrapped her arms around her mother's legs and hugged them tight. 'I'm glad you're back Mommy.'  
  
Murdock stared down at her and aware of the scrutiny, Megan looked up. As soon as she saw who it was, her whole face lit up. 'HM!'  
  
He bent down and enveloped her in a tight hug. 'Hey sweetie.' The little girl wrapped her arms around his neck and hugged him back just as hard. Murdock felt a lump in his throat.this child whom he'd met barely two days ago was his. His child, his daughter, he didn't want to let her go.  
  
'You know her?' Katie asked in surprise. She hadn't been expecting this.  
  
Murdock finally let go of Megan and both looked up at Katie with identical grins. 'Yeah I think we know each other.' He tweaked Megan's nose and she giggled.  
  
'See.I didn't get run over by a truck.' Megan tilted her head and took in his appearance with interest. 'Why you dressed as a priest?'  
  
Murdock looked at Katie. 'It's a secret but.maybe I'll tell you if you're a good girl.'  
  
Megan's face instantly became innocent and she nodded seriously. 'I'm always good, aren't I Mommy?'  
  
Katie laughed softly and smoothed back her daughter's hair from her face. 'Sometimes, when you're not running around and frightening the life out of me.'  
  
Megan beamed up at her. 'But you like it when I do that.'  
  
Katie didn't dignify that with an answer, she just gave Megan a look, which the little girl knew very well. 'You can change in my room Murdock.' Katie told him.  
  
'I'll show you where it is!' Megan volunteered eagerly. 'And then you can see my room.'  
  
With a laugh Murdock nodded and took her hand. He was glad for the distraction; he knew it was going to feel like forever before Stockwell phoned him to say that the guys were back. But then, knowing Stockwell he probably would just not bother calling.  
  
Murdock scooped up his bag and followed Megan upstairs, even though he knew very well where Katie's room was, he humoured Megan and let her show him.  
  
When he came out he was dressed in his converses, jacket and khakis and felt much more like himself again. Megan was balancing herself on a banister, walking along it as if it were at tightrope.  
  
In a second he was there and had lifted her down. 'Megan! Don't do that! You could have fallen.' His voice faltered suddenly as he realised what a fatherly thing that was to say.  
  
She looked upset. 'Sorry.I just wanted to see what it was like.'  
  
'It's dangerous honey, you could hurt yourself.' He shook his head; she was so much like him it was scary. He could remember his mother and grandmother reprimanding him much the same way he was reprimanding Megan for similar things. Like the time he'd jumped out of a tree trying to fly for instance.  
  
She took his hand and looked up at him. 'Ok, I won't do it again. I'm sorry.'  
  
'Ok good girl.' She started pulling him towards the direction of her bedroom.  
  
'C'mon come and see my room.' She dragged him inside and jumped on her bed, swinging her legs with an expression on her face that reminded him of Katie.  
  
With a grin he stepped inside, it was much like any other child's room.strewn with clothes and toys. But he could see books lining the shelves, which would never have been seen on the average three year olds shelf.  
  
She saw his Converses and her eyes lit up. 'I got a pair like that.' In a second she had jumped down from the bed and was in the corner of the room rummaging through her clothes trying to find the shoes.  
  
He sat down on the bed and then got up again. He was sitting on something; it was a book. He picked it up and studied it. The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe by C. S. Lewis. He couldn't help smiling; Katie had loved this book to death when she was a kid. But she'd been much older than Megan; he was surprised someone of her age would be reading something for a much older child.  
  
He flicked through the pages and something fell out onto the floor. He bent and picked it up; his own face stared back at him from a photograph.  
  
He looked over at Megan; she was still searching through the pile of things in the corner and had her back to him.  
  
'Megan.' He said casually. 'Why do you have a picture of me?'  
  
Megan looked up and from the look on her face he could see that she was scared of being told off. 'It's ok, I won't be mad you can tell me.' He held out an arm in an open invitation for her to join him.  
  
She left her search for the shoes and went and sat beside him. She took the picture from him and looked at it. 'It was in Mommy's book, I borrowed her book to read.' She held the photo next to her face. 'See, I look like you.'  
  
His breath caught in his throat. He didn't know what to say to that. He stared down at the book in his hands. 'Well.this is a book for older children.you can read it?'  
  
She nodded. 'Oh yeah.some of the words are kinda big but I can do it.' There was something defiant about her answer. He read between the lines, she thought he was thinking of her as a baby. In a way she was but in other ways she was far older. Her dark eyes looked up at him. 'Are you my Daddy?'  
  
If he had thought her earlier remark had left him at a loss for words that was nothing compared to this. He saw that spark of intelligence in her eyes and a memory came back to him.  
  
Six years old, he'd gone to see a great aunt with his grandmother. She had seemed a hundred years old to Murdock and had regarded him with condescending eyes. His grandmother had raised an eyebrow and brazenly told the old lady that HM was quite intelligent for his age and if she had any doubts about that she need only look into the boy's eyes. Murdock had noted the look on the old woman's face.almost as if she had known all along that Murdock was bright and that the whole thing had been some kind of test that he seemed to have passed without doing anything.  
  
Megan was still looking up at him questioningly and he realised she was waiting for him to answer. There was such a hope in her eyes that he knew he could do nothing but give her the truth, or as much of it as she would be able to understand. She might be intelligent but she was still only three years old.  
  
'Your mom seems to think so.' He replied carefully.  
  
She nodded as if she had expected as much. 'I think you are too and I'm really, really glad!'  
  
He couldn't help hugging her. 'I'm really, really glad too.'  
  
'And I won't tell Mommy, I promise.'  
  
'That's probably a good idea for now at least. Honey, I'm sorry I've not been around much. I promise I'll make it up to you.'  
  
She just nodded and looked down at her pyjama-clad feet. Karen appeared in the doorway. 'Come on you.' She said to Megan. 'Time to get dressed.'  
  
Murdock ruffled Megan's hair and then stood up. Karen met his eyes before he walked from the room. 'It's good to see you again Murdock.'  
  
He smiled back and squeezed her hand. 'It's good to be back.' In her eyes he saw the apology that was unspoken. The regret that she hadn't been able to tell him about his daughter and that she knew how much he had missed out on.  
  
He went downstairs and found Katie staring thoughtfully out the window. He wanted to go to her and slide his arms around her waist and kiss her neck the way he always used to. Instead he shoved his hands in his pockets and cleared his throat.  
  
She turned and smiled; she was about to speak when the phone rang. Murdock felt himself tense and all the panic and remorse came flooding back. It hadn't worked, something had gone wrong; he just knew it.  
  
Katie laid her hand on the phone and paused.then she picked it up. 'Hello?'  
  
Murdock's mouth went dry. 'Yes.ok.' That was all she said and then she replaced the handset. 'That was Frankie; he spoke to Stockwell.if you want to see them you've got to go now. He'll pick you up on route. He said you know where to go.'  
  
Murdock nodded and then swallowed. 'I guess this is it. Unless.you want to see them too?' He couldn't help hoping.  
  
She shook her head. 'I think I'll give you guys some time alone.'  
  
'Frankie'll be there.' He knew there was a pleading note in his voice and he hated it.  
  
'Just go Murdock.'  
  
He looked at her and then couldn't help himself; he pulled her towards him with an arm around her waist and kissed her soundly on the lips. Then he was gone out the door and she didn't know if she would even see him again. 


	12. Chapter Eleven

CHAPTER ELEVEN  
  
Murdock practically fell from the van and charged into the warehouse.what he felt when he saw the guys sitting up alive and well was indescribable. It was a million feelings all at once.  
  
He was practically crying as he hugged BA and when the big guy told him to get off of him he could have yelled in happiness. Hannibal was next and then Face.  
  
There as so much he wanted to tell them and it was all going to have to wait. But as Stockwell started to talk he felt a bad feeling in the pit of his stomach. Clearly Stockwell had his own ideas on how things would go and his reasons for wanting the A-Team alive and well were starting to become apparent.  
  
The fact that he was taking the Team to Virginia was like a kick in the teeth. Murdock knew he'd never be able to go to Virginia, not with the way things were, he had a promise to his daughter to keep after all and then there was the situation at the VA. He'd got his friends back only to lose them again, but at least this time they'd be alive and he could contact them if he wanted or needed to.  
  
At first, he thought things were going their way as they went after Curtis' murderer, Ramone Solay, and took him down. But he soon realised that Stockwell wasn't going to let them go that easily.  
  
As they arrived back at the warehouse, he saw three figures get out of a car. 'Is that Katie?' Face asked.  
  
'Yeah.' Murdock could hardly speak.he hadn't had a chance to tell them yet about Megan.  
  
'That Megan with her?' BA asked and Murdock stared at him.  
  
'You know about Megan?'  
  
'We met her just before.' Face trailed off and opened the door as BA brought the van to a stop. His meaning was quite clear but Murdock had no time to wonder why Katie had told his friend's about Megan but hadn't told him because Megan herself threw herself at him and began to hug and kiss him the same way he'd been hugging and kissing BA not half an hour earlier.  
  
'Hey.hey.' He said half-laughing as she buried her head against his shoulder. 'What's this about?'  
  
'You went 'way.' He heard for the first time the hint of how young she was in her voice and tone and realised his mistake. He hadn't said goodbye.  
  
'Sorry Meggie, I didn't mean to just go like that but I didn't have a lot of choice. It's ok.'  
  
She seemed to accept that and her face shone as she caught sight of BA. 'BA!' She stretched out her arms towards him and BA grinned his big teddy bear grin.  
  
'Hey little mama.' He came over, Hannibal and Face with him. Katie and Karen instantly rushed straight to Hannibal and Face and hugged them.  
  
BA held out his arms for Megan and Murdock reluctantly deposited Megan into them. He hugged her gently and grinned again. 'You been a good girl?'  
  
'I'm always good, right Daddy?' She turned to look at Murdock, Katie gasped and Murdock beamed.  
  
'That's right Pumpkin.you are indeed.' He turned to look at Katie and shook his head. He'd explain later.  
  
'She's not going to be crazy like you fool!' BA said and Megan frowned.  
  
'You promised never to call him that again. Crossed your heart and hoped to die.' There was dead silence as Murdock and BA looked at each other. There should have been no way that Murdock had known about BA's 'dream' let alone Megan.  
  
***  
  
Katie opened the door of the apartment; Hannibal, Face, BA and Frankie were on their way to Virginia. Megan was with Karen. Katie had insisted on coming with Murdock for this last task that they had to perform.  
  
Father Selini still lay bound and gagged on the bed. But he was now awake and gazing at them with wise eyes. Murdock released his binds and took an awkward step backward. Katie moved forward to take his place.  
  
'Are you alright Father?'  
  
The old priest smiled and raised a hand to her cheek. 'Merely a knock to the head Daughter, nothing that this tough old priest will not recover from.' There was an unexpected hint of amusement in his tone and in his eyes as he sat up.  
  
'Sorry.' Murdock mumbled.  
  
'If you would like to take the confessional my son, I would hear your sins.'  
  
Murdock shook his head mutely and Katie smiled. 'I don't think you have that much time Father. He'd keep you there for hours. But please, we are sorry that such drastic measures had to be taken, if there had been another way.'  
  
'You need not fear child.your husband is forgiven. A bump on the head is trivial compared to the lives of three innocent men.'  
  
'You knew they were innocent?' Murdock couldn't help himself.  
  
'I did and I prayed for guidance.I was told to wait and it seems that perhaps the Good Lord is owed more credit than I gave him. I trust that the men are safe?'  
  
Katie nodded. 'Well hidden.you won't tell anyone will you?'  
  
The priest smiled and his eyes actually twinkled. 'I saw nothing and nobody.'  
  
Katie returned his smile in kind and the priest looked towards Murdock. 'I trust I have some clothes somewhere?'  
  
'Oh yeah.sorry.' Murdock held out a bundle of clothes. 'We borrowed the spare set in your car.both have been washed.'  
  
'Thank you for the consideration. Now I must leave you young people to your business. You have much to celebrate.' He got to his feet and seemed surprisingly nimble for a man of his age. Murdock didn't seem to remember him being that quick when he'd knocked him on the head.  
  
'I.uh, I'm sorry I hit you.'  
  
Father Selini only smiled and went into the bathroom to change. Katie looked at Murdock and then said, 'He called you my husband.'  
  
Murdock frowned. 'Did he? I didn't really notice.' He looked very thoughtful. 'Do you think he did really know that I was going to be there? He's seems to be moving a lot quicker than I remember him moving before I hit him.'  
  
Katie smiled. 'I get the impression that he was slow on purpose.to make you feel better.'  
  
Murdock nodded. 'I think you're right.' There was silence between them for a few moments and then Father Selini entered the bedroom once more dressed in his priest's attire.  
  
'I will be on my way. I expect to see you at Mass.' Here he looked at Katie who nodded meekly.  
  
'Of course, it's the least I can do.'  
  
Father Selini looked at Murdock. 'Though I expect I won't be seeing much of you, I have a feeling the hospital will be keeping a close eye on you after this.'  
  
Murdock's eyes widened just a little. 'You know who I am?'  
  
The priest laughed and nodded. 'I should think I do. You're the very image of your father, boy.' Here his tone took on an accent that was much more like that of a farmer than of a priest from LA.  
  
Murdock didn't have time to say anything because the man was leaving. He stared after the priest in stunned shock. 'He knew my father? How could he have known my father?'  
  
Katie shrugged. 'You can ask him when you go to Mass.'  
  
'Katie.I can't go.'  
  
'I don't want to hear it! After you knocked him unconscious the least you can do is go along and hear his sermon.'  
  
'And what was all that about him not having time to hear my confession? Face has far more to confess about than I do!'  
  
Katie's lips twisted into a smile. 'Somehow I doubt that.'  
  
He grinned lopsidedly and then shrugged. 'Sooo.' Again the awkward silence reigned but for a moment Katie remembered the touch of his lips on hers.  
  
'I.I guess I'd better go.' It was all she could think of to say. They really should talk but she suddenly didn't want to. He'd ask too many questions, or if he didn't then he might expect her to.  
  
'Oh.sure.' He looked visibly disappointed. 'I was hoping we could talk for a while.'  
  
She hesitated.what harm could it do to talk? There was a lot to talk about, Megan for an example, he'd missed out on her life so far; she thought he'd probably want to know about it, to know about her. And she'd be glad to talk to someone who didn't look down on her because she was a single mother.  
  
She nodded. 'That'd be nice.'  
  
*** Katie awoke; she was lying on her side staring at the door of the bedroom. She slowly became aware that she was naked under the sheets but she couldn't remember what had happened last night no matter how much she tried. On the bedside table were two empty wine glasses.  
  
She had the fright of her life when someone rolled over and buried his face in her hair, sliding an arm around her waist and kissing the nape of her neck. She sensed that he had gone back to sleep but didn't know who it was lying beside her.  
  
Panic gripped her, what had happened last night? A harsh sound replaced the soft sound of the man's breathing. She frowned; she knew that sound. It was the sound of someone snoring.in fact she'd spent nearly three months listening to him snore though he claimed that he never snored. He also claimed that if she wanted to hear someone really snore she should spend a night with BA. She sat bolt upright in bed as she realised who it was in the bed with her. 'MURDOCK!'  
  
He shot up into a sitting position and with his eyes half closed, he tried to look around. 'What? Where? Who?'  
  
Katie blushed; she hadn't meant to yell like that. Murdock managed to force his eyes all the way open and look at her. 'What's wrong?'  
  
'Oh.uh nothing.I uh.ouch.' She put a hand to her head and groaned. 'Why do I get the feeling that somewhere is a guy with an extra large baseball bat looking for me?'  
  
Murdock grinned and shook his head. 'Nope.just god ole Jack Daniels.'  
  
Katie shot a look at the wine glasses by the bed. 'I thought we were drinking wine.'  
  
'We were besides whiskey and vodka.'  
  
'Do you not have a hangover?' It felt as if someone was playing a drum kit inside her head.  
  
'Nope.' He seemed remarkably cheerful considering his rude awakening. 'You didn't know where you were did you?' He also seemed to be feeling well enough to be amused.  
  
She shrugged. 'Didn't really know much. But remind me next time you want to 'talk'. I keep forgetting that in your language that means sex.'  
  
'You didn't have to.' His response was perhaps a little more forceful than he'd intended.  
  
'I think that no escaped my vocabulary after the first Jack Daniels.'  
  
'Yeah, good job I won't be flying anywhere for the next couple of days.'  
  
Katie grabbed her watch and looked at it. 'Crap, I'm late for work.'  
  
'Honey, its Sunday.'  
  
The use of the word honey brought back a thousand memories. She didn't know what to say, it was one word but for some reason it left her speechless.  
  
'I'll go make you a coffee and something to eat.' 'No.no food.'  
  
Murdock smiled. 'Yes, food. Don't argue with me, I don't think you want to greet your rather hyper-active daughter with a hangover.'  
  
'Your hyperactive daughter, her hyper-activeness is all yours, nothing to do with me.'  
  
Murdock beamed. 'Hey.I remember what you were like at three.'  
  
'You didn't know me when I was three.' She slid down under the covers and he stroked her hair tenderly.  
  
'You sleep for a while; I'll wake you up in a little bit.'  
  
***  
  
It was in fact a full hour before he woke her and dragged her to the table for breakfast. She managed to put down at least half a plateful and with that he had to be satisfied. After they'd cleaned up they went back to Katie's house and there a rather bouncy Megan hugged them both.  
  
Murdock spent the whole day playing with Megan and was constantly surprised by her intelligent mind. She was very clever for her age and it was obvious that Katie was very proud of her. She seemed to accept the fact that he was her father as if she'd always known it, she didn't even ask him why he hadn't been around for the last three years but he supposed that those questions would come later when she was older.  
  
Finally, he had to say goodbye to both her and Katie. He had to go back to the VA, they'd be out looking for him and it would be only a matter of time before he was found. Better to be back on his terms not theirs.  
  
Megan hugged him very tightly and told him that he had to come back and see her. He promised he would and then Katie hugged him too. He held her for a long moment, determined to make that moment last as long as he could. He took in her and Megan and fixed them in his mind so that he could recall it any time like a photograph.  
  
He kissed Katie's cheek, ruffled Megan's hair and then made himself turn and walk down the path. He hadn't got very far before Megan threw herself at his legs sobbing. He picked her up and cuddled her. 'Hey.I'm comin' back.' He kissed her forehead and rubbed her back.  
  
She sniffled against his neck and nodded. He held out his little finger. 'Pinkie?' She held out her pinkie and linked it through his and they shook. 'There.now I have to come back. Can't break a Pinkie Promise.'  
  
She nodded sombrely. 'I'll miss you.'  
  
'I'll miss you too Pumpkin. Be a good girl for your Momma, I'll be back real soon.' He walked back to Katie and handed Megan to her. He could see the tears in her eyes and reached up to touch her cheek. 'Take care of her for me Katie.'  
  
It felt very much like goodbye but Katie nodded.she couldn't find words to say anything. When he turned away and walked down the road, it was without interruption and Katie watched him go until she could no longer see his retreating back.  
  
*** Katie was woken three nights later by the sound of her door opening. She sat up and reached for the light. Murdock stood there squinting against the sudden brightness.  
  
'Murdock! You scared the living daylights out of me! What are you doing here?'  
  
He came over to the side of the bed and sat on it.there was a feverish light in his eyes and she was worried for a moment. 'I've left the VA.'  
  
'What?' The statement shocked her though she should have realised that this was coming.  
  
'I've left the VA.I'm going to Virginia.'  
  
She felt a sudden coldness in the pit of her stomach. 'I.I don't think I understand.'  
  
'I'm going to Virginia to be with the guys.'  
  
She stared at him and anger suddenly filled her. 'And what about Megan? Or have you forgotten the promise that you made to your daughter?'  
  
'Of course I haven't.' Again, she saw that light in his eyes and a sense of apprehension filled her. 'You're coming with me.'  
  
This time she didn't even bother ask, she just stared at him dumbly. 'You and Megan.you're coming with me to Virginia.' He repeated.  
  
She put a hand to her head.it was too early in the morning for this. 'Murdock.'  
  
'I know, I know, I don't have a job or a place but it won't be that hard. I can get a job.I'll provide for both of you, you don't need to worry about that.'  
  
She shook her head. 'No.'  
  
Now it was his turned to look shocked. 'What?' He hadn't been expecting this. 'What do you mean no?'  
  
'I mean no, I can't go with you to Virginia.'  
  
'Why not?'  
  
'Because you haven't thought this through that's why! It's not easy getting a place or a job, I should know. I can't just go; my job is here for a start.'  
  
'So you can get a new one in Virginia.'  
  
'Right and who's going to look after Megan?'  
  
'We'll work that out when we get there.'  
  
'Murdock.you know nothing about kids at all do you? I can't just uproot Megan from LA, she's settled here. She's not a dog or a cat; we can't just plonk her down in another place and expect her to adjust. It doesn't work like that. She needs stability and I need to put her first.'  
  
'I know but she'll get used to it. She'll love it there; it's a great place to bring up kids, all clean and fresh air. Not like here.'  
  
'Murdock.I can't afford to just move to Virginia on a whim.'  
  
'It's not a whim and you don't have to worry about money.I already said, I'll provide for you both.'  
  
Her temper snapped. 'No.I don't think you're getting it! You've been in the VA for what? Ten, fifteen years now? You can't expect to just walk into a job; you have no concept of what it's like in the real world. All you have is snatches of time when the guys broke you out. There is no way they'll give a job to a former mental patient who could possibly be dangerous!'  
  
She saw from his face that he was deeply hurt by that remark but she was just too annoyed by the child-like attitude he had toward this whole thing. His head was up in the clouds thinking of the perfect life, she knew that there was no such thing.  
  
He nodded and stood up. 'Ok.I guess I have your answer then.' He turned and walked from the room, ignoring her as she called after him.  
  
He went into Megan's room and stood looking down at her for a long time. He could feel tears in his eyes, he didn't want to leave her but he couldn't stay here. Not with the guys in Virginia, his whole life for fifteen years had centred around them; they were all he knew. Part of him knew that he should stay here and make a life with Katie but he couldn't do that either. The VA would be looking for him, he was going to tell the team that they'd let him go, found him sane but in truth all it had been was a desperate escape attempt in the middle of the night. Nothing new, he'd been doing it for years and somehow he'd known that one-day he'd be escaping and never going back.  
  
Megan rolled over in her sleep and knocked her teddy bear onto the floor. He bent and picked it up, laying it on the bed. Her small chubby arms closed round it and she drew it to her chest. He reached out and smoothed her hair lovingly. This would be the hardest thing, knowing that he was walking out on her; of course he'd keep in touch and make sure he saw her often but it wasn't the same. She'd probably never forgive him.  
  
He leaned down and put a kiss on her forehead. 'I love you sweetheart.' As he straightened up, he sensed a presence behind him. Turning he saw Katie standing in the doorway. Silently he moved out of the room and into the hallway. It was cold out here but he didn't care. 'Please.it's not too late to change your mind.'  
  
She shook her head. 'I can't Murdock. I just can't.'  
  
He nodded and pulled her to him crushing her against his chest. 'I'll call or write once I've got a place.send you some money.'  
  
'You don't need to do that.'  
  
'Yes I do.look, once I've got a job and a place; promise me that you'll consider it then.'  
  
She pulled back a little so that she could look up at him. 'Ok.I'll consider it but it's a big step, you have to understand that.'  
  
He did understand, he was asking her to just up and leave everything behind. He could see why she was reluctant. If nothing else, this place was, the only thing she had left that connected her to her father, besides him that was. 'I do, I'm sorry I was so narrow-minded.'  
  
'You weren't narrow-minded. I'm sorry I was so mean; I didn't mean that, you know, about them not giving you a job. I'm sure they will but.you gotta understand it probably won't be a pilot's job.'  
  
'I know.' He said quietly and then she realised why it was that he was going, why he couldn't stay.  
  
'Oh.' She whispered. 'So that's it. It's not just about being near them is it? Without them you can't fly can you?'  
  
He looked down at her and shook his head mutely. She tightened her arms around him. 'I'm sorry. I know how important that is to you.' She laughed a little. 'Hey, you're not the only one hell-bent on flying, looks like Megan's inherited that. You'll never guess what she did the other day, she jumped out of a tree, she was trying to fly, scared the life out of me.'  
  
Murdock stared at her wordlessly. 'What?' She asked concerned.  
  
'Are you serious?'  
  
'Yeah.what's wrong?'  
  
'I did that. When I was five or six I jumped out of tree trying to fly.' His eyes were far away and then a smile touched his lips and he chuckled. 'That's my girl. One day I'll teach her how to fly properly.'  
  
Katie smiled. 'She really is like you.' Then her smiled faded. 'What will you tell them?'  
  
'That they let me go; I won't tell them the truth. They might make me go back.'  
  
'I doubt that Murdock, I think they'd understand of all people.'  
  
He shrugged. 'If they don't, Stockwell will, he might do it anyway.'  
  
'Good luck.' She whispered, she didn't ask when he was going; she knew it would have to be tonight. 'Do you need a car?'  
  
'No.I've got one. I'll be ok.'  
  
She hugged him again. 'Just.if you need to talk I'm a phone call away.'  
  
'Thanks.' He kissed her gently. 'I love you, don't forget that.'  
  
'Murdock.don't.don't say it.' She knew she wouldn't be able to stand it if she had to hear him say goodbye.  
  
He nodded and kissed her forehead, holding her close so that he could memorise the smell and feel of her. He wanted to take her back to bed but he knew if he did, he wouldn't leave and then he might be found. Reluctantly, he removed her arms from around his waist and turned away. It was the second time in a week that he'd walked away from her and it seemed to get harder each time.  
  
As he walked down the stairs he knew that something new was beginning, for the first time in a very long time, he would have a life, a normal, grown- up life. That prospect scared him more than he would ever admit. 


	13. Chapter Twelve

CHAPTER TWELVE  
  
Several Months Later  
  
It was two weeks after Christmas; snow lay thick on the grounds of the compound in Langley, Virginia.  
  
Even Murdock, as much as he missed LA, could not deny that it was a beautiful sight. He wondered wistfully what Megan would think of the snow. Being in LA it was unlikely that she would see much, if any, snow. He wished she could be here so that they could all make snowmen, snow angels and have snowball fights. She'd love it; he just knew it.  
  
As he left the compound, he drew his coat up close to him. It was icy cold out here and could see the mist on the air that his breath made. If he wasn't feeling so tired he'd probably enjoy the scenery and the snow but he'd just arrived back from a mission and as usual on Stockwell's missions, it hadn't been an easy ride. He was exhausted and looking forward to nothing more than bed.  
  
Of course, then he'd have the problem of explaining to his boss where he'd been for the last four days. He couldn't very well tell him that he'd been off rescuing captives in the Spanish Islands. He'd probably lose his job and that was the last thing he wanted to do right now, his past made it hard enough for him to find a job and to his chagrin, he had to admit that Katie had been right. He hadn't been thinking things through properly when he'd left.  
  
He walked past the Abel's standing guard duty on the gates, they had guns fixed in their hands and their expressions were as icy cold as the January day. It was no secret that Stockwell and his men hated Murdock but he didn't really care. He gave his craziest grin to a burly Abel and beamed. 'Beautiful day isn't it? I just love this hot weather.' He tipped his cap and walked through the gate aware of the Abel's disgusted expression as he passed.  
  
Apparently, this Abel didn't appreciate a good dose of Murdock humour. His loss then, there were far more appreciative people to annoy, like BA for instance. At least the big guy had the decency to growl and mutter at him, the Abel just looked confused.  
  
He shoved his cold hands deeper into the pockets of his khakis and set off for home and bed. As he walked into town and neared the more populated areas, he could hear the sounds of children laughing and playing. With a pang he thought again of Megan, it had been two weeks ago that he'd managed to get down to LA to see his daughter for Christmas and he had been surprised by how fast she was growing up. At four, she was starting to grow tall and proudly told him that she was the tallest amongst all her friends. He felt another pang at the reminder that she would soon be starting kindergarten, he'd already missed out on so much of her life and now he was missing out on even more. But he couldn't lay blame on anyone but himself; it had been his decision to come to this place. He stifled a yawn as he neared his apartment building, it wasn't one of the nicer ones but it was a place to lay his head at nights and he was comfortable enough there. He was surprised to see the shape of two figures in the doorway as he approached. Someone had obviously arrived on a visit and found that no one was home. They must be freezing.  
  
He yawned again and dug in his pocket for his keys, as he looked up the person seated in the doorway stood. She was covered in snow and her face was very pale. Beside her, he could see the sleeping figure of his daughter with Katie's coat round her shoulders.  
  
He was there in a second. 'Katie! What are you doing here? You must be freezing.' Instantly he had his jacket it off and was wrapping it around her shivering form. She could only stand there, teeth chattering with cold as he opened the door and scooped Megan up. The little girl didn't wake.  
  
'How long have you been sitting there?' He asked as they entered the chilly lobby.  
  
'I don't know, an hour.maybe two.' She was shivering violently, dressed only in a sweater under his jacket and he saw with surprise that cases and bags surrounded her. He handed Megan to her and picked up the luggage. 'I tried to call but you weren't there and I didn't know where else to go so.'  
  
'The General had us out on an assignment.' He felt his nose wrinkle at the word assignment and hoped she didn't read the gesture for what it was. He didn't want her to know just how much animosity there was between him and Stockwell. 'What happened? You know someone would have probably have let you in.' He thought suddenly of Erica and hoped that she didn't see his cheeks colour slightly.  
  
'Well I did buzz one woman but.she told me to go away.'  
  
Murdock's lips twisted for a moment into a wry smile. 'Let me guess.'what are you selling? I don't buy things Dearie.you'd better go away before I call the police. They can be here in moments.I have a gun, I will use it.' That her?'  
  
Katie found herself laughing; he had mimicked the old lady perfectly. 'That was her.'  
  
Murdock nodded and as they past a pink door, he rapped hard on it with his knuckles. 'Mrs King?'  
  
The door flew open and woman with her hair in rollers peered out. Murdock turned on a charming smile. 'What do you want young man? When I was your age children were seen and not heard, we didn't go knocking on old lady's doors so we didn't.'  
  
Murdock smiled and nodded almost as if he was listening. 'I just thought I'd introduce you to my illegitimate daughter Megan and her mother, we're not married by the way, seeing as you left them out in the cold and refused to let them in, just thought you'd like to see their faces before they die of pneumonia. Oh and by the way, your cat got into my apartment again last night; don't know where he went. My invisible dog Billy chased him off.Cuddles bit him apparently.'  
  
The old woman just stared at him and Katie bit the inside of her cheeks to stop herself from laughing. She looked as if the she was surely going to have a heart attack. 'They.. they shouldn't have let you out.you're a danger! I'll call the police on you.'  
  
With another dazzling smile, Murdock leaned over the kissed the woman's powdery cheek. 'Love ya Mom.' Then he turned and walked away, Katie couldn't do anything but follow.  
  
As the door shut behind them, Katie caught Murdock's arm. 'Murdock, that was mean.'  
  
'Well she shouldn't have left you out in the cold. It's freezing out there.'  
  
'Does she really call her cat Cuddles?'  
  
Murdock nodded. 'Stupid name isn't it. That cat is the least cuddly thing I've ever met.' Then he grinned. 'Didn't think too much of Face when he came over.messed up his hair.'  
  
Katie smiled. 'Heaven forbid.'  
  
Murdock stopped and opened his door and motioned for Katie to go in. She did and once she'd laid Megan down on the couch, she took the opportunity to look around. The apartment wasn't exactly luxurious; she could imagine Face turning his nose up at it. It was comfortable, small but she could see things here and there that showed her that although Murdock faithfully sent her a maintenance cheque every month, he really didn't have a lot of money to spare.  
  
Murdock laid the bags down. 'You can put her in my bed.' He gestured to Megan who was still sleeping peacefully. Like her mother, she slept like the dead. Murdock showed Katie into the bedroom.  
  
'There are some pyjamas in her case; could you get them for me?' Katie asked as she started pulling Megan's snow-soaked clothes off of her. The little girl remained sleeping.  
  
Murdock returned with a pair of Woody Woodpecker pyjamas. 'Good choice.' He said as Katie began dressing their daughter in her nightclothes.  
  
Katie smiled. 'She picked them herself.' As Murdock pulled back the bedclothes, Katie laid Megan in the bed and drew the covers over her. Murdock instantly handed her the teddy bear that Megan always slept with, Katie allowed herself a smile that he'd remembered.  
  
Once Megan was tucked up in bed they withdrew into the living room where a hamster was munching on food in his cage. Katie flopped down on the couch and Murdock sat next to her. ' So what are you doing here? Not that I mind but it's just a bit of a surprise.'  
  
'I.I didn't have anywhere else to go.' Out of habit, she rested her head on his shoulder and out of an even older habit; his hand stroked her hair soothingly.  
  
'What happened?'  
  
'Mom had to give up the house. There were some problems, the bank and other things. Then I lost my job and couldn't find another place to live. I didn't know what to do. Mom's gone to stay with her sister but that's a two bed roomed apartment; there's no room for Megan and I.'  
  
'She lost the house?' Murdock was aghast; Karen had lived in that house since marrying Katie's father, Tony. Even after Tony had died, she'd still stayed in the house.  
  
Katie nodded and started to cry, she couldn't help it. In the space of a few days, she'd lost her home and her job. She'd spent the last hour and a half sitting outside in the freezing cold wondering if she had the wrong apartment, trying to make up her mind if she should try and find Stockwell's compound.  
  
'Come on, you need to get into some dry clothes; you're soaked. Tell you what, I'll go run you a bath and you can tell me all about it afterwards.'  
  
She allowed him to help her off with her clothes and into the bath, where he left her. He went back into the living room and straight over to the phone. It wasn't easy trying to get through to Face but finally he managed it.  
  
'Facey? It's Murdock.you'll never guess what's happened. Katie's here with Megan.' Face's surprise wasn't really unexpected.  
  
'Why?'  
  
'She lost the house and her job. Why do I have a feeling that a certain General is behind this?'  
  
'You're probably right.'  
  
Murdock's anger erupted. 'It'd be just like him to do this, get her here to make sure that I do what I'm told.' His hand clenched round the phone and he was aware suddenly that he was being watched. Turning, he saw Megan standing in the doorway, clutching her bear and looking very much like she was going to cry. 'I gotta go Face; Megan's awake. I'll talk to you later.' He replaced the handset and went to his daughter.  
  
'Hey sweetie, you ok?' He gave her a hug and she hugged him back, sniffling as she did so. He knew by now what that sniffle meant, she was on the verge of tears. He picked her up and went over to the couch. 'You still cold?'  
  
She shook her head mutely and, as he sat down, laid her head on his chest. He grabbed a blanket and wrapped it round her anyway.  
  
'I didn't know where I was.'  
  
He stroked her hair. 'It's ok; you're staying with me for a while.'  
  
'What about Mommy?'  
  
'Mommy's staying too. That ok?'  
  
She nodded again and clutched her bear tighter. 'There's monsters under the bed.'  
  
'You had a nightmare?' He'd noticed that she seemed to have a lot of nightmares when he was there at Christmas. Katie had assured him that it was a stage that all kids went through and he could remember that she had gone though the same thing at a similar age to Megan.  
  
Again, she nodded and he tightened his arms around her. 'How about I make us some hot milk and then we go chase those meanie monsters away?'  
  
'Ok.' Her voice was barely a whisper and he realised how frightened she must be. Katie had just uprooted her and brought her all the way from sunny, warm LA, to cold, snowy Virginia. The poor kid probably had no idea what was going on. He kissed her forehead. 'Come on then.'  
  
She scooted off his lap and standing up, he took her hand and walked into the kitchen. He lifted her onto one the stools at the counter and set about making the warm milk. Once it was ready, he sat opposite her. 'It's hot honey.don't drink it just yet.' To take her mind off her bad dream, he arm-wrestled her, as always letting her win. Then he told her stories of the A-Team and all their adventures, making sure to include Bogie the Bear, Therm the Lobster and Sockii the Sock.  
  
'Daddy?'  
  
'Yes Meggie?' He was sipping at his milk as she asked her question.  
  
'Who were the horrible men?'  
  
'What men honey?' His expression grew concerned. Katie hadn't mentioned any men.  
  
'There were some meanie men who came and made us leave. They were horrible to Mommy and me.'  
  
'I don't know Pumpkin.' His brow furrowed, this did not sound good. 'Can you describe them to me?'  
  
Her tongue poked out the side of her mouth as she tried to remember. 'They was tall but not as tall as you but bigger than Mommy and me. They were in black and I think they had guns. They had funny names.'  
  
'What names, can you remember?' He watched her carefully as she struggled to remember.  
  
'Sable 6 and Sable 8.'  
  
Murdock sat back and said nothing. It was clear that she meant Abel 6 and Abel 8. Clearly, they were Stockwell's men. His earlier suspicions had been confirmed.  
  
'Don't you worry about them.' He ruffled her hair. 'Now let's go vanquish some monsters.'  
  
'Yay!' Then she frowned. 'Daddy, what's vansquish?'  
  
He grinned and lifted her off the stool. 'It means we go fight them and we get to win.'  
  
'Oh, ok then.' She seemed much happier.  
  
Murdock crawled partway under the bed and then came back out again. 'Nope, no monsters there, they obviously got scared.' He lifted her into bed. 'I'll leave Billy here, he'll protect you.'  
  
'Ok.' She snuggled under the covers. 'Night Billy.' Murdock was sure he almost heard a woof in reply.  
  
'Ok sleepy time.' He stayed until she was asleep and then went out and to the bathroom. He knocked on the door. 'Katie.you ok?'  
  
'Yeah.' Her response was sleepy and she opened the door, dressed now in one of his old shirts and a pair of shorts. Her hair was damp from the bath.  
  
'I'll make up the sofa bed for you.'  
  
'Did I hear Meggie out there?'  
  
'She had a nightmare. She's ok now.but she did tell me something. She said some guys came to the house, Abel's.'  
  
Katie nodded and walked past him. 'Yeah.they were Stockwell's men alright.'  
  
'What did they want?'  
  
'I'm not sure.' She shrugged. 'All I know is that within the hour I was jobless and homeless.' She sat down in a chair and closed her eyes. 'We won't outstay our welcome, I'll find us a place to live and then we'll be out of your hair.'  
  
'Stay as long as you want.' In his head, he was already looking for an apartment for all three of them. 


	14. Chapter Thirteen

CHAPTER THIRTEEN  
  
Katie sat in front of the TV; in the past couple of months, Murdock had found an apartment for all three of them. Megan was in bed and Murdock himself was at work at the Italian Restaurant he'd landed a job in.  
  
The snow hadn't lasted long but long enough for them all to enjoy it. Megan had been thrilled, it had been the first time she'd ever seen snow. Even BA had taken her out and helped her build a snowman and make snowballs. In great delight, they'd thrown them at Murdock as he came out to see what they were doing. With a grin, he'd joined them and waited until first Hannibal and then Face had come out. Face had been the funniest to watch because the snow had got in his immaculate hair and on his very expensive suit.  
  
But the crowning moment had been when Stockwell appeared and both Megan and Murdock had thrown snowballs at him, giggling all the while. Katie had had tears of laughter running down her face by the time they were finished.  
  
She started to notice that Murdock and Stockwell had no love between them; it had been something she had long suspected but she was starting to see the real proof of it in every word and action. She also noticed that Murdock never took Megan with him if he knew that Stockwell was likely to be there. Of course, it was never easy to determine when the General was going to appear.  
  
Katie herself had had numerous encounters with him and many snide comments had been exchanged on both sides. She was always aware at those times of Murdock's eyes fixed on her, ready to intervene at any moment he felt that Stockwell was going too far. He was fiercely protective of both her and Megan but he would never admit to her that he was scared that Stockwell would do something that could potentially harm them.  
  
In the past few months their relationship had grown and strengthened, it would be never be as it had been before she'd run out on him but to her surprise, she found that if anything it was better although different. He seemed to love her more for being the mother of his child than he had ever loved her before. Somehow, all the bad things and the time apart had made them appreciate each other more.  
  
Katie flicked through the channels idly, it was late and Murdock wouldn't be home for a couple of hours. But she was determined to stay up and wait for him to get in, they'd had too many nights just lately where all they had seen of each other was as he had crawled into bed late at night and at the hasty evening meals she prepared for him.  
  
The news came on and her finger hovered above the button to switch the TV off. Suddenly, she saw a place that she recognised but she couldn't immediately call to mind. Then with a shock, she realised that it was the restaurant that Murdock worked in. She was numb as the newsreader told that hostages had been taken and a shooting had occurred earlier in the evening. No victim was found but there was evidence of blood, apart from that no one else had been harmed.  
  
Katie couldn't breathe; it felt as someone was sitting on her chest. She forced herself to reach for the phone and dialled the restaurant. A police officer answered and stoutly refused to offer her any details; he could only tell her that no one of the name Murdock had been present since the investigation had begun.  
  
With tears in her eyes, she put down the phone and turned off the TV. Then she went and woke Megan. The little girl wasn't happy at being woken and it took a while before she could get her out of bed. Hurriedly, she dressed her and grabbing the keys, she made for the door.  
  
Her only thought was what she would do if something had happened to Murdock. Her mind was in a whirl and she couldn't think clearly. She drove to the nearest hospital, parked the car and all but ran into the emergency room.  
  
A hand on her arm made her stop. It was Hannibal, for a moment, she couldn't think of anything to say.she couldn't find the words to ask him if Murdock had been hurt or worse.  
  
'Katie.' He looked exhausted. BA appeared beside her and took Megan from her. She didn't resist as he lifted the girl out of her arms.  
  
'Is he.?'  
  
'Katie!' The voice was Murdock's and she turned and saw him standing there unhurt and alive. She flew to him, throwing her arms around him.  
  
'You heard.'  
  
'I thought it was you! I thought it was you!' She was crying. She could see now that his face was drawn and pale. He looked more tired than Hannibal.  
  
'Not me.Face.it was Face.I, we, my fault.' He could barely get the words out, next moment his face was pressed against her neck and she could feel the hot tears flowing down his cheeks. She held onto him tightly, vaguely aware that Hannibal and BA were taking Megan over to the vending machine to get her a drink.  
  
When Murdock had pulled himself together, they went outside. Shakily he told her the whole story, how Face had been shot, how he had been able to do virtually nothing for him. How they didn't even know if he'd live.  
  
'It's my fault, I asked him to come down there, I practically pushed him into it. I just.I.'  
  
'I know.' She understood how he'd wanted to show the guys that he was making something of himself, had a real job at last. 'It's not your fault, it was Face's decision to be there and none of you could have known that this was going to happen.'  
  
'I just felt so helpless and all I kept thinking was.I can't let them kill me. Frankie wouldn't have known what to do and I couldn't leave you and Megan.I was terrified you'd take it into your head to come visit me tonight. I kept expecting you to walk in the door. You have no idea how relieved I was when I saw BA.'  
  
She let him talk but before he'd finished a hand touched his shoulder. It was BA, still carrying Megan. Murdock instantly took his daughter and hugged her very tightly. 'Love you honey.' She heard him whisper.  
  
'They finished operating.'  
  
Murdock looked up and she could see the expectation on his face, he didn't think that his friend was going to pull through. 'Is he gonna be ok?'  
  
BA shrugged. 'Wouldn't say.just said he's not outta the woods yet but he's doing ok at the moment.'  
  
Murdock nodded. 'Can we see him yet?'  
  
BA shook his head. 'Won't let no one in. I tried, not even me. They said we should go home.'  
  
Murdock shook his head stubbornly. 'No way. I'm staying right here.'  
  
Katie touched his arm. 'Honey, you're exhausted. Why don't we go home, there's nothing you can do now. You should get some rest.'  
  
'I'm not tired and I can be here, I can be here when he wakes up.' There was a look of fierce determination on his face that normally Katie wouldn't even have bothered trying to argue with. Not tonight, however. She looked up at BA for back up.  
  
'You go home fool; we'll call you if he wakes up. He's probably not gonna be awake for a while yet.'  
  
Murdock opened his mouth to argue but obviously, the thought of bed was too tempting. He nodded quietly and got to his feet.  
  
*** It was two weeks later when Murdock woke Katie in the early hours of the morning. Face was now well on the mend and Murdock had got over his guilt.  
  
Murdock shook her again. 'Katie. C'mon wake up.'  
  
With a groan, Katie buried her head in the pillows. 'No.not time to get up yet.'  
  
'Yeah.come on.' He shook her harder and she opened her eyes.  
  
'It's four in the morning.why do I have to get up?'  
  
'Cos I want to show you something.'  
  
'Can't that wait?'  
  
He grinned. 'Not that and no it can't wait. Come on.' He got out of bed and went into the bathroom and washed. He walked back into the bedroom with a wet facecloth in his hand. He dropped it right onto Katie's face. She sat up and even though she couldn't see, she somehow managed to reach over and punch him lightly and playfully in the arm. She peeled the facecloth from her eyes.  
  
'Now that was just mean.' She rubbed at her eyes and looked around. 'It's still dark.'  
  
'I know.come on!' He could barely contain his excitement. 'We have to go now before it's too late!' He pulled on her arm and finally managed to get her out of bed. Karen was asleep on the sofa bed after having spent the weekend with them. She'd stay with Megan whilst they went out.  
  
Ten minutes later she was somewhat ready, fifteen minutes after that, they arrived at their destination.  
  
'Murdock.why are we going to airfield? Isn't it a bit early in the morning to fly?'  
  
He shook his head with a secretive grin. 'It's the perfect time to fly.' He almost ran to the plane and helped her inside.  
  
Sitting in the co-pilot's chair, Katie yawned. 'What crazy stunt do you have in mind now?'  
  
'You'll see.' His grin was wider than ever. He didn't howl this time on take-off realising that she was too tired to appreciate it.  
  
'Where are we going?' She asked as they drifted along.  
  
'You'll see.' It seemed to be his standard answer to everything and it was really starting to annoy her.  
  
Finally, he pointed out to the east. 'Look.' She followed the line of his hand and saw a rosy pink glow; with breathtaking beauty, the sun rose.  
  
Katie stared at the clouds tinged pink and yellow by the morning rays. The grey of the sky was slowly turning to blue. As she watched, she heard Murdock say. 'Will you marry me?'  
  
She turned in shock and saw that he was holding a ring; there was a lopsided grin on his face. 'Will you?'  
  
It was so unexpected that for a moment, she could say nothing and his happy expression started to fade and then she looked into his eyes. 'Of course I will.' She found that she was laughing. She hadn't thought he was serious for a moment.  
  
He slipped the ring on her finger and kissed her. After a minute, she had to push him away. 'The plane?'  
  
'Autopilot.' He kissed her again and then something occurred to her. She pushed him away again.  
  
'Wait a minute.I don't know how you knew but I don't want you thinking that you have to do this. I mean, we didn't get married the last time I was pregnant.'  
  
The shocked and stunned expression on his face told her that she'd got it wrong. He had no idea that she was pregnant. His mouth formed the words soundlessly.  
  
'You.you didn't know?' He shook his head. 'So.you were asking me to marry you because you love me?' He nodded his head still staring at her.  
  
His grin spread wider and wider until she was sure that his face would split in half. Then he was hugging her so hard that she almost couldn't breath. Then he kissed her again. Then he laughed and finally he threw his head back and let out an ear-splitting howl of delight.  
  
She stared at him in pleasant surprise. 'It's safe to say that you're pleased then.'  
  
Again, that grin nearly split his face in two. 'I'm marrying the woman I love and she's expecting our child.nothing could be better.' Then a look of panic crossed her face. 'It is mine.right?'  
  
She grinned. 'Oh yes.it's yours alright.' 


	15. Chapter Fourteen

CHAPTER FOURTEEN  
  
Murdock landed the plane and the first thing they did was go home. Karen was ecstatic and Megan needed an explanation on what marriage meant. When she found out that she was going to have a little brother or sister she let out a squeal of happiness. Murdock, holding his fiancée's hand, grinned as his daughter pronounced that she was going to teach the baby everything she knew.  
  
The next port of call was the compound to tell the guys. Congratulations all round and then they started making plans.  
  
'Megan's gonna be flower girl and Facey you gotta be my best man, you too BA.'  
  
'I ain't gonna be best nobody fool.' But everybody could see he was pleased.  
  
Hannibal cleared his throat. 'Katie.I know your father can't be here and.'  
  
Katie didn't let him finish. 'Yes.'  
  
'You don't know what I'm going to say.'  
  
'Yes you can give me away, I'd be honoured.' Hannibal beamed. 'Hon.we need to have someone to marry us.' Katie said.suddenly realising how much she had to do and in too little time.  
  
'I've got the perfect person.' Murdock was grinning manically, practically bouncing up and down.  
  
'Who?' She didn't think he knew many priests unless.  
  
'Father Selini.'  
  
'Murdock! No way, we can't have him marry us, you knocked him out!'  
  
'It was in the line of duty.' He shrugged. 'He understood and I swear the old guy let me do it too.'  
  
'Murdock.'  
  
'Oh come on, please, lets at least ask him. He looked after my dad in whatever war it was my dad was in and he married my mom and dad. Please.'  
  
Shaking her head with laughter, she relented. 'Only you.only you would suggest having the priest who you knocked unconscious to marry us.'  
  
'Yeah.' His eyes sparkled. 'But I was afraid Facey would offer and I don't want to be damned forever.'  
  
'Hey!' But one look at Murdock's expression and Face knew he was joking. 


	16. Epilogue

EPILOGUE  
  
Murdock stared down at the tiny bundle in his arms with wonder and amazement. In the bed Katie was sleeping, exhausted. In his arms Elizabeth Karen Murdock, barely an hour old, stirred and opened large blue eyes to stare up at her father.  
  
He smiled feeling as if his heart would burst with love for this tiny child who he could hardly believe was his. She was just so perfect in every way, he touched the tiny fingers and they curled round his thumb. His smile widened and he held her tighter.  
  
He knew now what he'd been missing with Megan. He'd missed this, the pregnancy, the birth, the first moment she'd opened her eyes, her first words, and her first steps. But not with Beth, he'd already decided that he was going to call her Beth and not Elizabeth, he wasn't going to miss a moment of his daughter's life, not if he could help it.  
  
Murdock looked over at his wife and felt that everything was right. He loved her more than life and the happiest day of his life had been the day that he'd married her. At first he'd been afraid that she wouldn't want to go through with it, that even though she insisted that it didn't, their past would get in the way. That his age would get in the way and the fact that he'd known her since she was Megan's age.  
  
But she seemed to love him more for all of those things. It had been a small and simple ceremony, only the guys and Karen present. Megan had been flower girl as he'd promised she would. Both Face and BA were the best men and Hannibal had given Katie away. He'd thought she'd looked radiant, only a slight swell of her belly betraying the fact that she was three months pregnant with their child. The child that now lay in his arms.  
  
He looked down again at Beth who was sleeping now, her tiny fingers still curled around his thumb. It was so hard to believe that this little thing was his. He thought she looked like her mother but Katie had said that she'd seen some of her own father, Tony in the little one's face.  
  
He stood, laid the infant in her crib and covered her with a blanket. Kissing her small forehead, he straightened and went to his wife. He pulled the covers over her and smoothed her hair.  
  
'Love you babe.' He whispered before going to the door. It was time for Megan to meet her sister. He turned with his hand resting on the door handle to look at them both. Mother and daughter, both sleeping, the afternoon sunlight bathing them both in golden light. Yes, life was indeed better than he'd ever believed it could be.  
  
The End 


End file.
